I Don't Know How to Deal with Youkai Academy!
by Scarecrow'sMainFan
Summary: After switching sides and helping kill Medusa, Crona is pardoned, but sent to Youkai Academy as part of his probation. Can he survive the frightening world of monsters? And how will he deal with the girls around him falling in love with him?
1. Dealing with a Vampire

**Hey everyone, how are you? Now I know what some of you may be thinking: "Scarecrow, why are you putting out a new story, when you already have one you should be working on?" A valid point true believers. To the fans of my Naruto in Hell story, worry not, the next chapter is in production. The reason I'm posting this story is simple; I had the idea, I liked it, and I ran with it. I'm sure that has happened to some of my fellow authors, right? Plus, I needed something different, so I didn't get burnt out on Naruto. I love that story, and would never think of not finishing it, but sometimes it's nice to work on something else for a while. That said, this story is different from my Naruto story. This one doesn't have quite as much intense action (yet...). It's also meant to have more comedy in it the Naruto. There is action, as anyone who is familiar with the two series in question should know, so don't worry. The action in this chapter is not as much as I would like, but it is only the first chapter. I have to set up the story, and establish the fundamentals. I hope you enjoy it, as I'd really like for this story to do well. So, without further delay, let's dig into: **

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_** Chapter 1: Dealing with a Vampire  
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A boy sat in an average looking school bus, watching the country side fly by. He had a frail looking body, with long skinny arms and legs. His hair was an odd shade of pinkish purple. His eyes were a pale blue, and they were constantly flickering back and fourth, as though waiting for something to jump out at him.

The boy, Crona, sighed and looked down at his new cloths. The place he was going had a dress code, so he had been provided with his own uniform. The outfit made him fell uncomfortable, he missed his old cloths, and he wasn't sure how to deal with that. Looking back up, he thought back to where he was going, and how he was lucky to be going anywhere at all.

He had done terrible things for Lady Medusa. Things he would likely never live down. But things had changed. He had remembered who his real friends were. He broke free of his mother's control, and turned on her. Turing one of the biggest battles between Shibusen and Lady Medusa's forces, Crona had helped turn the tide when he saved his friends from death, and drove his sword through his mothers heart. That hadn't killed her, but it had bought enough time for Shibusen to finish her off. He had hoped that, for his actions, he would be able to go back with them and return to his friends. That wasn't exactly what happened. Most of them didn't trust him, and really, why should they? The last time they had, he had ended up betraying them. Only one person had stood by his side, had vouched for him: Maka Albarn. His first, and now, only true friend. She had stood up for him.

And it was because of her trust that he was here right now. He still remembered his last meeting with Lord Death, the one that would ultimately decide his fate….

_(Flashback) _

_**"hmmm, well Crona, you've left me in a very precarious position" **__Lord death said, looking down at the nervous form of Crona. Behind him, were Maka, Black*Star, and Kid, as well as their partners Soul, Tsubaki, Patty & Liz. Also there were the Death Scythes, the remaining ones anyway, Stein, and finally Sid. __**"While you did help us end a great threat to the world at large, if it wasn't for your actions, it's possible Medusa wouldn't have grown so strong in the first place". Maka has told me that you were forcibly coerced into Medusa's schemes, but that alone cannot erase all the damage" **__he said, his voice not the cheerful one he normally used, instead using his deep "serious voice". Maka frowned, she'd done all she could to convince Lord Death that Crona was forced to do a lot of what he'd done. She knew a lot of her friends were still mad at Crona, but she hoped she had at least convinced Lord Death of his innocence. _

_After a long moment of silence, Lord Death heaved a heavy sigh__** "Very well, I have made my decision" **_he said, getting everyone in the room's attention. Lord Death cleared his throat _**"After going over everything I know personally, as well as the testimonies of several other" **__he said, glancing over at the peanut gallery __**"I have decided to give Crona, meister of the demon blade Ragnarok," **_Lord Death paused, the room waited on baited breath, leaning forward to hear the verdict _**"a second chance" **__he finished, his voice reverting back to his usual goofy self. _

_Crona, Maka, and some of the others heaved a sigh of relief. Maka broke away from the rest of the group to hug her long lost friend. "Crona, isn't this great, you get to stay!" she said, squeezing Crona tighter, much to Crona's embarrassment and Soul's annoyance. Ragnorak even popped out of Crona's back and hugged his meister's head in joy._

_**"I get to live!" **__he cried happily, making the others in the room laugh at his expense._

_But Lord Death's seemed to become serious again when he heard Maka __**"Unfortunately, that's not entirely accurate" **__he said, making everyone freeze. _

_"Wh-What to do you mean Lord Death?" Maka asked hesitantly. Crona was scared too, but he wasn't about to voice it, lest he draw the god's anger. _

_**"While I am willing to allow Crona to live, and even forgive him to an extent, I cannot allow him to return to Shibusen just yet." **__he explained waving one of his oversized hands about. __**"He hasn't earned that level of trust back just yet. As such, I'm afraid I'll have to send him someplace else." **__he said with finality. _

_Tsubaki stepped forward "Your sending him away? Where?" she asked. While she and Crona weren't close, she was at the very least concerned for his well being. _

_**"There is a place called Youkai Academy" **__Lord Death explained __**"located in an alternate dimension. I have been meaning to send someone there to watch over it for a while. While I don't think it will be a direct target of the Keshin, we can't rule it out. So, as a probationary student, Crona will be sent there. He will be able to get the education he needs, while also making sure that things stay safe at the school." **__he explained, his tone booking no argument. _

_Crona sighed, he would get to live, but he was also being sent away from the only true friends he had. Deciding to speak up, he took a step forward "Uh si-sir?" he asked in a shaky voice, trying to get the large God's attention. _

_**"Yes? What is it my boy?" **__Death asked, his voice aloof and goofy once more, freaking Crona out just a bit. _

_"Wi-Will I ever get to come back?" he asked hopefully. This question made everyone stop and look at Death. _

_Death rubbed his chin, his eyes squinted in a classic 'thinking pose'. __**"I suppose" **__he started looking down at Crona __**"that if you prove yourself truly trustworthy then I will allow you to return to Shibusen." **__he said, making Crona give a sigh of relief. __**"But don't think it will be easy!" **__Death snapped at Crona, making the nervous boy jump __**"You've got a lot of work a head of you before that can happen" **_

_Crona just nodded determinedly. To get back to his friends, and earn back the trust he had thrown away, he would do anything. _

_(Flashback Over) _

Crona's shoulders slumped, that had been then. It had seemed so easy at the time. It wasn't until two days later, when he was on the bus to leave that Lord Death felt the need to mention that the school he would be attending was one exclusively for monsters. It had taken the physical might of Spirit, Stein, and Lord Death to force him back on the bus after that. Monsters! How on earth was he supposed to deal with that?

The biggest blow came right after that though, one that made the idea of going to a school for monsters all the harder. Lord Death informed him that a seal had been placed on him, and by extension Ragnorak, that would monitor them and their powers. Crona was not to go about picking fights and using his powers extensively. He was only allowed to use his powers if he was in immediate danger. The only other reason would be if Crona was using his powers in defense of another, something Crona himself didn't think would be happening. After all, who would he help in a school full of terrifying monsters? If Lord Death felt them using their powers, and there wasn't a good reason for it, Crona would be in big trouble.

The bus driver looked over his shoulder at Crona. He had seen a lot of kids in his time, but none of them were like this kid. Frankly, the aura the kid was putting off was really starting to bum him out, something he hadn't believed possible.

Deciding to make conversation, he addressed the boy "So, you are the student enrolling at Youkai Academy?" he asked.

Crona almost jumped out of his seat at being addressed so suddenly. The creepy bus driver was talking to him… how was he supposed to deal with creepy bus drivers? He could hear Ragnorak grumbling inside of him, complaining about 'stupid bus drivers asking obvious questions'. "Yes" Crona responded hesitantly. Glancing out the window, he noted that they were heading toward a tunnel in the side of a mountain.

The driver just nodded "In that case, you may want to prepare yourself" he said, grinning around his cigar.

"Why?" Crona asked, knowing he wasn't going to like the answer.

"Youkai Academy is a veeerrrrry horrifying school!" he said, his glowing eyes illuminated by the embers of his lit cigar.

"WHAT?" Crona yelled, eyes wide with terror as he scooted to the back of the bus. "A horrifying school? Oh no, that sounds awful! How am I supposed to deal with that?" he yelled to the sky

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Not long after that, the bus came to a stop. Crona stepped off the bus with his eyes shut, afraid of what horrible things he might see. Slowly opening one eye, he closed it again. He had been right, this place was way to scary. Right before him was what looked like a set out of a horror movie. Spooky grounds, a scary looking tree, even a kinda creepy (but only to Crona) scarecrow.

Crona turned around and tried to scramble back on the bus, only to get a foot in the face from the driver. "Th-There's no way a place this scary can be a school!"

"Sorry kid, them's the breaks" the Drive said, finally getting Crona out of the door and driving off. Crona stood there for a long while, clutching his bag to his chest. Even when Ragnarok started yelling from inside him to get the lead out he didn't move. Finally, after about ten minutes of standing like a statue, Ragnarok finally convinced Crona to move, or he wouldn't be getting any sleep for a year. And Crona didn't want that, he'd get bags under his eyes, and he didn't know how to deal with that. So, with slow, shaky steps, Crona made his way down the road toward the immensely creepy Youkai Academy.

Of course, things were never easy for Crona. The boy hadn't taken more then ten steps before he heard a sound behind him.

"Oh no! Coming through!" a distinctly female voice yelled. Crona turned toward the sound, just in time for a girl on a bike to slam into him going full throttle.

Rubbing his head with one hand, Crona went to steady himself with the other. Only for his hand to come in contact with something soft and squishy. On reflex, he squeezed said object, getting a slight moan from the other person as a result. Sitting up fully, Crona caught sight of what had hit him: a girl. And a cute one at that.

Her hair was even pinker then his was, and her eyes were a shining green. She wore the typical school jacket over a white blouse, as well as the school's brand of oddly short skirts; both of which did nothing to hide her figure. On her neck was a black choker from which hung a silver cross with a red gem embedded in the center.

Crona quickly took his hand off her and just stared at her. At Shibusen there was no shortage of attractive girls walking around, but he'd never gotten this close to any of them before.

The girl didn't seem to notice his reaction, instead rubbing her head. "I'm sorry" she said, looking at him. "I got dizzy from my anemia" she explained. Crona just nodded his head at the girl. When she looked him in the eye, he blushed, he wasn't used to talking to strangers, let alone cute girls. How was he supposed to deal with this?

"Oh no, your hurt!" she said, getting his attention. From where she was looking, Crona guest he must have gotten a cut on his face. Thanks to Ragnarok though, he didn't even bleed. The girl had taken out a handkerchief, when she suddenly swayed again. "The scent of… blood" she said, her eyes half lidded. Now the girl was really starting to weird Crona out. Were all girls this weird?

Suddenly, the girl collapsed against his chest. "I lose control when I smell that scent" she said. Outside, Crona was only slightly unnerved, a blush on his cheeks as he tried not to put his hands anywhere inappropriate and whatnot. Inside though, he was freaking out. A girl was lying on him! For a boy who had experienced almost no positive physical contact from anyone, let alone a cute girl, Crona was seriously flustered. Ragnarok seemed to be handling it much better though, as he kept muttering about cute girls, and how he would love to reach out and grab her- Crona stopped that line of thought right there. He was no pervert! And he was sure the girl wasn't leaning on him for anything like that either…

Suddenly the girl leaned forward, her lips inches from Crona's own. Okay, maybe she was after that. Crona had never been in this position before. Was he supposed to kiss her now?

"I…. I'm sorry but…." she said, inching closer toward him. Crona's mind at this point was nearing critical mass "It's just cuz" she whispered setting herself up in a kneeling position before him.

And then she went to bite him "I'm a Vampire" she said as her teeth went to break flesh, ready to suck his blood.

Or rather, that's what she tried to do. As soon as her fangs touched black blood, Ragnarok was already hardening it to the point where it wouldn't bleed. When he felt the girl trying to actively suck out the blood, Ragnarok hardened the blood around her mouth to the point where it was almost impossible.

This of course, came as a great surprise to the young vampire, who had never before been unable to draw blood when she wanted. Drawing back from Crona, her teeth made a slight popping noise as they came out of the now solid section of black blood. As soon as she was gone, Ragnarok allowed the blood to flow normally again, though none of it exited the already healing bite marks.

Moka, for that was the young vampire's name, was about to ask what had happened just now, when something happened. Some of Crona's black blood had remained on her teeth even after she bit him. It wasn't much, hardly more then a single lick, but it was enough to get a taste all the same. As the boy's dark life blood landed on her taste buds, Moka froze. Her eyes widened. Her pupils shrunk to the size of pinpricks, before growing to encompass nearly her whole eye. Her body seized up as she felt warm and tingly all over, before she suddenly slumped. She blushed as the warm wonderful feeling of the boy's blood settled in her stomach. She couldn't help but giggle, even as the boy in front of her started to wig out. If Moka didn't know better, she'd swear she just had sex **(No, really, read the manga or watch the anime. Doesn't that look on her face seem to indicate something? Maybe I'm just being perverse here, but it sure seems like it too me). **

Finally coming back to earth, Moka focused on Crona, who was flipping out with a hand to his neck. "You just tried to suck my blood! You're a vampire? A vampire who wants to suck my blood? Oh I really don't know how to deal with all this!" he cried, much to Moka's worry.

Moka waved her hands in a placating manner "Im sorry, I'm Moka Akashiya" she introduced herself to Crona, who was just starting to calm down. "And although I look like this, I'm really a Vampire" she stated, once more bringing up her species.

Crona just looked at her nervously. "A vampire? Like bloodsucking monsters that hate crosses and garlic vampires? he asked. He'd known he was going to have to encounter a monster sooner or later, but he hadn't expected this. He had expected the monsters to be outright creepy and scary, not…. pretty.

Moka just nodded, "Yes" she said, blushing thinking about the taste of Crona's blood. She decided it would be best not to bring up the amazing reaction it provoked in her.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

It wasn't long after the encounter that the two were walking down the road together. Moka was providing most of the conversation, with Crona choosing to be his usual quite self. He had almost spoken up, to ask her about the whole 'blood sucking' thing, when his train of thought had been rudely interrupted by Ragnarok, who made the comment _"She's really hot Crona! If she wants to suck on something so bad why don't you-" _Crona had quickly stomped Ragnarok out of his thoughts. Why did his partner have to be so… so…

"So, um…. " Moka spoke up again, trying once more to start up a conversation with the quite boy next to her. She had been doing this ever since they started walking. He seemed so shy and quite that most of her attempts failed when he only gave nonverbal responses. The only real bit of information she'd gotten out of him was his name; Crona. Deciding to brave a question she had been fearful of asking she spoke up one more time "So, do you really hate our kind…. vampires, I mean?" she asked worried that this potential friendship had died before it ever really began.

Crona heard the subtle desperation in her voice, and decided he'd give her the benefit of the doubt. Who was he to judge if she drank blood. Until Maka had turned him over to the good side, he regularly ate human souls. "No" he said, making the nervous Moka look up at him. "I wouldn't say that! I mean, Vampires are pretty unique." he said, not quite sure how to make conversation with the vampiric girl.

But Moka seemed happy "That's wonderful!" She said, her face lighting up, and instantly Crona knew he'd made the right decision. "Then if you're okay with me, will you please be my friend?" She asked. Before Crona could answer she continued "I was feeling so lonely since I don't know anyone here." she said, and that was something Crona could relate too. "I'm glad I met you Crona. When the entrance ceremony is over, let's try and talk some more" she said, as the entrance to the school came into view.

Crona just nodded his head, "Besides" she added, just as they walked past the main gate "you're pretty unique yourself. I can tell from your blood" she finished, blushing as she said it. Crona didn't know what to say to that. He wasn't really a monster, not in the sense that most of the students here were. If he had to have a monster label, he supposed he could call himself a failed Keshin. That was what his mother had always hoped he would become. He'd gotten close, but he'd never made the final leap to full on God of Insanity.

And so, Crona just continued onward in silence to the entrance ceremony, still pondering his own existence, while Moka chatted happily away.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Crona sat nervously in his chair as he waited for class to begin. He had chose a desk in the far corner of the room. Being close to 'Mr. Corner' giving him a small bit of comfort. Comfort that was offset somewhat by Ragnarok near constant whining. The little demon wanted to come out and show himself, but Crona knew that it would be best to avoid such a thing for now. Ragnarok knew it too, he just liked making himself a pain in the ass.

He looked up as his teacher, one Shizuka Nekonome walked into the room. She looked almost completely human. Well, except for those two cat ears on her head, and the tail that poked out from the top of her skirt. She seemed to have a happy bubbly personality that reminded Crona a lot of that magical cat girl that stayed at Maka and Soul's apartment.

"Hello everyone, and welcome to Youkai Academy!" she started happily. "I am your home room teacher, Shizuka Nekonome" she introduced. herself with a grin. "I think you all already know this but this is a school built for the sake of Monsters to attend!" She said, giving the class a cute wink.

Crona just nodded inwardly. Yep, this was a school for monsters, and he was stuck right in the middle of it.

"Our current problem" she went on "Is that earth has already come under the control of the humans. In order for us monsters to continue to survive, we have no choice but to continue to peacefully coexist with the humans." she said, waving a pointer at a chalkboard with sick figures of humans on it with vigor. "At this academy, you will be studying **"How to Coexist with Humans"**!" she said, making the purpose sound very dramatic, almost like the words themselves were in bold. "So for that reason, as a school rule, you will all live your lives at this academy in **Human Form**!" there it was again Crona thought.

"Do you understand?" she asked the class "It's a matter of being able to disguise yourself well as a human! This is the foundation of coexistence. You are never to allow any of your fellow students to know your 'true form', **understand!" **she finished, looking at the faces of all the students as she said it.

Crona understood, and frankly, he was relieved. He didn't have a form to reveal, and that alone might be misinterpreted as him being human. Though, he supposed if it came down to it, a simple display of his powers would shoot that theory to bits.

"Hey teacher" a snobby voice from the middle of the class spoke up "why don't we just eat those pathetic humans? Or, if they're good looking girls, molest them?" he asked. Crona froze at that. This guy wanted to do **what **to regular humans? Crona felt his fists clench.

But the teacher just continued on like she hadn't even heard him "Incidentally, here at Youkai Academy, the teachers and students are all monsters, there are no genuine humans here! Since this Academy is within a secret sacred world, to those humans who come to know of our existence, we will bring them **death!…**or something like that…." she trailed off, unsure.

Suddenly, the door to the class slid open, attracting most of the attention in the room. "Excuse me" the person said, clearly out of breath "Sorry I'm late, after the entrance ceremony, I kinda got lost in the school…." she trailed off embarrassed to have gotten lost on the first day.

Luckily, sensei didn't seem to mind "Oh, that's fine, just take a seat" she said.

"Ok" the girl said, fully stepping into the classroom. Crona saw, with some degree of pleasure, that it was Moka. Apparently, all the other guys were pleased too, as nearly everyone stood up as she approached.

Soon comments like 'she's so hot' and 'I hope she sits by me' filled the room. Crona's voice seemed so small when he spoke up "hey Moka" he uttered, sure it would be too soft to hear.

But apparently not, as Moka's head snapped in his direction. Blinking twice Moka looked at him "Crona?" she asked. Crona nodded his head, and that was all the perky girl needed to throw herself on and wrap her arms around his neck. "It's Crona! I can't believe we're in the same class!" she said with joy. She was the only one however. Crona was filled with nervousness, unsure how to deal with this sort of thing. The rest of the class was outraged. Who the hell was that guy who got Moka's attention? What did he have that they didn't?

From his seat, the boy who had suggested eating and molesting humans, licked his lips at the sight of Moka.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Crona walked through the halls in a daze. Moka was clinging to his arm, chatting about everything she saw. She somehow felt the need to fill up the silence he left by talking twice as much. She talked about the school's architecture, the various students, the classes, everything. Crona honestly wondered if he was in some sort of dream. This girl, Moka, was being really nice to him, and even wanted to be his friend it seemed. Maybe this monster school thing wouldn't be so tough to deal with after all.

Although…. glancing around, he could tell not everybody was as happy as Moka was. Most of the boys he saw went through three different emotions upon seeing the two of them: Wonder at seeing the radiant Moka. Confusion as to who he was and what he was doing with her. And finally anger that he was the one with the girl on his arm and not them. Crona didn't get what the big deal was. Moka was just his friend, one he'd known less then a day, so what were they getting all worked up for. His worry only increased as he felt the killing intent from the boys start to rise and focus on him more and more.

He was broken from his train of thought as someone stepped out of the crowds to block Moka and his path. "Hmm, such a pretty one" he said, looking at them, and Crona was pretty sure he wasn't talking about him. At least he hopped not. He wasn't sure how he'd deal with _that _type of attention.

As the boy moved close, Crona realized that it was the boy from class earlier. The one who wanted to do…. unpleasant things in general. "You are called Moka Akashiya are you not!" the taller boy asked giving Moka a wink "I am your classmate Saizou Komiya! Salutations!"

"Saizou" was a very tall boy. He had blond hair, which was slicked back yet still managed to look disheveled. In fact, disheveled seemed to be this guy's main attitude toward his appearance. His tie was loosely done, his jacket was rumbled and his shirt was untucked and looked like it had been slept in. The only other defining feature about him was the piercing in his lip, as well as the ones in his ear.

The guy gave off an aura that reeked of trouble, and everyone in the hall took a step back from him as he past. As he took a step closer to Moka, he suddenly lashed out and grabbed Crona by the front of his jacket and lifted him into the air. Crona flailed his arms about, not sure what to do. He could easily kill this guy now, but he wasn't sure if he should. He wasn't really in any danger was he?

"By the way, why is a beautiful lady like yourself associating with a guy like this?" Saizou asked, casting a brief glance at Crona. Moka seemed unsure of what to do or say to that, and Crona was busy trying to figure out a way to get back down.

The crowd of students murmured and pointed at Saizou, and from what Crona could hear from the crowd his reputation was anything but pleasant.

"It's Saizou! That guy is Saizou Komiya!" one student said to their buddy.

Another boy, one with a squashed looking nose whispered to his neighbor "He seems like he's probably one of those ill mannered suspicious rogue monsters" well that seemed about right in Crona experience "He sounds like quite a ladies man from all the human women he's molested" was that what constituted a ladies man around here? Crona hardly noticed Saizou had thrown him to the floor when he heard the last comment "They say he caused too many problems out there in the human society and was forced into this Academy against his will. Great, why would they put such an individual in a school?

Saizou just kept leering at Moka, ignoring all the comments "Wouldn't someone like me be far superior to that sort of scummy guy?" he asked getting uncomfortably close to Moka's face "Why don't we go off somewhere just the two of us and have some fun?" Moka didn't look like she particularly like that idea. In fact she looked like she'd rather be anywhere but in front of this boy. Crona felt the aura of the boy get heavier as he leaned toward Moka "Well?" he asked, running his tongue over his lips "Why don't we go out for a bit?" he asked again. Crona could hear Ragnorak muttering about smug douche bags, and frankly, he agreed.

Crona stood up, unsure of what he was going to do, when Moka suddenly grabbed his hand and pulled him away. "I'm sorry!" she called over her shoulder "I'm having fun with Crona now!" she said, before speeding off around a corner.

Saizou glowered at the ground. He clenched his fist as he thought of Moka. "I never allow a nice woman like you to escape me…." he muttered.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

After Moka had stopped dragging him, she and Crona took a breather behind some stairs. "That was surprising wasn't it? I got a little scared" Moka said embarrassed, breaking the silence. "Are you okay Crona?" she asked looking at him.

He nodded. It wasn't like he'd been hurt or anything, despite the larger boys intentions. Their was something he wanted to ask though, even though he was afraid of the answer he might get "Moka…." he started off unsure of how to best phrase the question "Why are you so friendly to someone like me?" He asked the girl, who no doubt could be friends with anyone she wanted "Even though I'm just some boring worthless guy…" he stopped, going to far. He didn't like to think of himself as worthless, but years with his mother had ingrained the idea into his head. He'd gotten better, through his time with Maka and her friends, but it was still there; lurking in the back of his mind.

"Don's say that!" Moka said startling him out of his thoughts. "To me you're not mediocre or worthless or anything Crona!" she said, surprising Crona. It seemed Moka didn't think he was a loser after all. "Besides…" Moka continued blushing "you're the first person I've ever had that I could call a friend" she said. Crona's eyes widened. He was her first friend? Inside, Crona could hear Ragnorak agree with his thoughts. Well, if he was her first friend, then he would be the best friend he could be.

Of course, anther reason Moka liked Crona was one she would never actually tell him. She also like Crona for his blood. Even though it had only been a taste, what she'd gotten was a thousand times better then any from a transfusion packs. Just the thought of it made her blush.

Seeing Crona stare at her, Moka's blush grew "Oh, I'm so embarrassed" she said, giving him a good natured push back. Of course, even with most of her power sealed, her strength was still enough to shove Crona into a wall with enough force to crack it. "Let's have some fun, and check out the rest of the Academy!" she said running off. Crona blinked as he watch Moka skip off. Pushing himself away from the wall, he rubbed his arm, once again thankful for his black blood.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

The rest of the day was spent in fun exploration, as the two new friends explored the entire school grounds. _'this is nice' _Crona thought, for once at peace. Ragnorak of course was bored as Hell, and never stopped reminding Crona of this fact, but other then that it was nice.

"Look Crona, this is the dorm we'll be staying in!" Moka said excitedly. Crona had a somewhat different reaction to the dorms. They were big and creepy, and frankly Crona didn't think he'd ever be able to live in something that looked so run down. This was where he had to stay, for possibly years!

"So cool" Moka said with hearts in her eyes "Such a building full of dignity and character. Crona had to wonder if they were looking at the same building. If Moka really wanted character, she should see some of the building in Death City.

Thinking of the town where his friends were really seemed to drive home the point that Crona wouldn't be seeing them again for a long time. He had no idea when or even if Lord Death would ever allow him to return. It was quite possible he'd spend the rest of his days banished in exile to this horrible place.

Moka seemed to pick up on Crona's depressing aura, but misinterpreted it to him not liking the buildings. "Oh, you don't like them Crona? Even though you're a monster" she said, turning to face him. She got a thoughtful look on her face "Say, speaking of which, what kind of monster are you anyway Crona?"

Now there was a question that stopped Crona dead in his tracks. What was he supposed to tell his new friend? He didn't want to lie to her, but the truth wasn't exactly the sort of thing he wanted to get out either. He could tell her his mother was a witch, and let her draw her own conclusions, but if there ever came a point where he had to show his abilities, that would only lead to more questions! Oh, why hadn't Lord Death told how to deal with questions like these!

Luck was apparently on Crona's side however, as Moka suddenly spoke up "Wait! Letting your true form out is against the rules isn't it!" she said, unaware that Crona was saying a silent thank you to whoever had made that rule. "Sorry, I didn't mean to ask that question" she said with an embarrassed giggle.

"That's okay" Crona said, a slight smile on his face. "But, Moka" he said, getting her attention as the two of them kept walking along "I can't really see you as anything except a normal human." he said, confusion in his voice. "Are you really a vampire" he asked, having difficulty matching up his preconceived notion of what a vampire looked like, with the pretty pink haired girl before him.

Moka stopped and looked at him with a smile on her face. "Of course" she said, "Right now I look pretty human but…" she gestured to the Rosary on her chest "You see, if I take this Rosary on my chest off, I become the real thing. An evil and super scary **Vampire"** she said, making an attempt at a scary face. It wasn't that scary, but it was enough for Crona, who didn't like things that were even a little bit scary.

Crona took the time to examine the Rosary. It didn't look like much to him _**"How can something so stupid looking do anything useful?" **_came Ragnorak's usual cheery compliment. Though Crona had to agree. After having seen some impressive looking seals in his time at Death Academy, on both sides of the war, this one didn't look like it could hold a door closed, let alone a vampire.

"Rosaries have the effect of sealing off a vampire's power" Moka continued, despite her audiences lack of awe "Since in my original form, I was hated and caused conflict, I put this Rosary on myself so I'd keep my vampire powers sealed."

Crona just nodded. Even if she didn't look like it, Moka wasn't really a human at all. She was so different from him…. no matter how gentle she seemed, there was something lurking beneath the surface. Okay, so maybe not quite so different after all, he thought, thinking of Ragnorak.

Moka took a step toward him "But even if our power is sealed, we do still end up craving blood" she said, putting her arms around him. Crona went white; that wasn't something he was prepared to deal with again.

Moka knew she shouldn't, but being so close to him; close enough to smell his strange blood, was driving her wild. She just had to have a sip. Just one and she would be satisfied. Closing her eyes, she went to bite him and take a drink of that sweat elixir. Only to find nothing but air! Opening her eyes, she was surprised to find Crona running away from her!

"Sorry Moka, but I have to go find my room!" Crona called back. It was a lame lie he knew, but what else could he say. He doubted she'd take no for an answer if he'd stayed there.

Moka flustered. It shouldn't have been that big a deal, but for some reason she found herself annoyed that she had lost her chance at Crona's delicious blood. "Crona come back!" she yelled after her rapidly retreating friend "I just want to suck your blood!" Strangely, that didn't seem to encourage Crona to return at all.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Crona walked to school the next morning, already trying to mentally prepare himself for anything terrifying he might have to deal with. He just hoped Moka didn't try to bite him again.

His thoughts of Moka were interrupted when a voice called out to him "Wait up lover boy", right before Saizou stepped out from behind a tree and grabbed Crona by his tie. Crona frowned, why did this guy keep grabbing him? Then he gulped, Saizou had a look in his eye that spelled pain for Crona if he wasn't careful.

"It looks like you had a lot of fun with Moka Akashiya yesterday" he stated, swinging Crona around and slamming him into a wall. Inside, Ragnorak raged, demanding that Crona put this bastard in his place, and Crona was finding it hard to resist. Even if he didn't like fighting, years of being a honed killing machine didn't vanish overnight. If Saizou kept pushing him, he would have to take action.

"Your true form, what is your true form!" Saizou barked, applying more pressure to Crona's chest.

Crona didn't know what to tell him. He was pretty sure Kishin was the wrong answer, but then again, half witch didn't sound much better. He sure as hell wasn't about to say human. Well, Saizou didn't look too bright, maybe he could bluff him?

"My true form?" Crona asked looking down on him. "I don't think you want to know" he said, trying to look tough. He hardened his stare and leveled a fierce glare down at Saizou, allowing only a minutia of his wavelength to filter out.

But it didn't work out quite like he'd hoped. Saizou was one of those "Alpha Male" types. He had to be the big man on campus, and the idea that this scrawny little wimp could be better then him pissed him the fuck off. Thus, why he smashed his fist into the wall next to Crona's head, causing most of the structure to collapse; this also had the effect of attracting pretty much every student who was passing by.

"I don't want to know?" he growled, raising his arm like was about to strike again "Who the fuck do you think you are? Some nobody like you has the balls to talk down to me?" he demanded, his hand growing unnaturally large, his fingers becoming claws as he shifted partially into his monster form. "Don't you dare lie to me punk" he said. He turned and started walking away "Anyway" he called over his shoulder "Don't go near Moka again! If you even talk to her again you're dead boy" he said, his arm shifting back into that of a human.

Crona let out a sigh of relief. That had gone much better then he'd thought it would. He hadn't had to release any of his power at all. Of course, while he celebrated that fact, Ragnorak was busy calling him a wuss for not showing that Saizou whose boss.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Unfortunately, Crona's day didn't get any better from there. His next conflict came, oddly enough, from Moka of all people. They were sitting at one of the Academy's lunch tables. They were making idle conversation, and it had started out nicely enough. But then, Moka had asked the question: "What was your school before this one like?"

Well, he obviously couldn't tell her the true nature of Death Academy, but he did give her an abridged version. One which made it seem like a perfectly pleasant, perfectly normal school.

"And this place, was it a school for monsters too?" she asked, having never heard of another school for monsters outside of Youkai Academy.

Crona just gave small smile, thinking of his brief time there "No," he answered "in fact, almost everyone there was completely human" he stated. But then he noticed the look on Moka's face. "Moka, is something wrong?" he asked, was it something he'd said?

Moka's face was one of restrained anger "I hate those humans!" she shouted. Crona stepped back, unsure what had brought this on. "I… I actually went to a human school up through middle school. I was so isolated. None of those humans believed in monsters, so I started thinking I was weird. That it was different from everyone. That it'd be better if I wasn't there. That it'd be better if I disappeared." Moka said, her eyes filled with sadness "It was so tough" she said, looking like she was bout to cry. "But" she suddenly seemed to perk up "you said I was alright even though you found out that I'm a vampire" she said, her facing breaking into a heartwarming smile "This has been the first time in my life that I haven't felt alone!" she finished, looking Crona in the eyes.

Crona gulped. What Moka had said really touched him. She had opened herself up to him, told him how much she appreciated him. It was wonderful. But…. she hated humans. What would she do if she knew…..? "Moka" he said, looking down at the ground "What would you say if I told you…. that my very first and best friend is a human?" he said. As he did, he though of Maka, the girl that helped him see the light. She was a wonderful person, and Crona would never forget that. But she was also human. A human he could never stop being friends with. Not for his mother, not for a war, and not for Moka.

Moka eyes widened in shock, not quite sure she had heard Crona right. "Wha-what did you say?" she asked.

"My best friend is a human" he shouted. "They helped me and believed in me when no one else did. If it wasn't for them…. I don't even know if I would be here…" he trailed off, thinking of how Maka's involvement after his surrender had kept Lord Death from killing him on the spot.

He looked up at Moka, and saw the horrified and shocked look on her face. So that was it huh? Crona turned away from her "Moka, that look on your face tells me all I need to know" he told her as he started to walk away "Maybe you and me shouldn't hang out together after all." He didn't want things to be this way. But Moka hated humans, and Crona didn't. And he never would. No matter what, he wouldn't turn on Maka and her friends. Never again.

"Crona" Moka said, taking a step toward him, reaching out, searching her mind for anything to say. But it was too late, Crona took off, leaving her alone. Moka's knees almost gave out beneath her. What had she done?

She kicked a small stone in her path, here eyes filling with tears "No way…. no…. even though I finally made a friend…." the tears rolled down her face. "Even though it was the first time in my life I thought I had a friend…." how could she have been so stupid? So what if Crona had a human friend? Why did that have to matter to her? She had to fix this. She would go and find Crona, and she would say whatever it took to make things right.

Now filled with a new sense of determination, Moka prepared to go find Crona. Only for a vice like grip to lock around her wrist. "Hey, way is it you are alone?" a voice from behind her asked. A voice that was unfortunately all to familiar.

"Saizou!" she exclaimed as Saizou pulled her toward him.

"You shouldn't be lonely Moka Akashiya when you can be with a man like me…." he said lustfully, licking his lips.

Moka tried to break free, but Saizou just pushed her against one of the Academy headstones. She tried to step back, but there was no where to run too. Saizou stepped toward her, taking off his school jacket as he did so "I am serious, your beauty is incomparable to any one of those puny humans I have molested" he told her, almost like he was trying to make it out as some great compliment. "I want you Moka Akashiya! And I won't take no for an answer!" he exclaimed, his voice getting deeper and deeper.

"Sai-Saizou?" Moka asked, as Saizou suddenly hunched over, his aura seeming to grow as his form started to shift.

"I can't stop myself when I feel like this, my body starts to ache when I come to this point. There is no stopping me… I just can't stay in human form anymore" he yelled, as he started to grow in size.

Moka was afraid, no doubt about it. She knew what was about to happen, but with her powers sealed, there was nothing she could really do to stop it. "No… someone help…" she prayed for someone to help her. Not just anytime one. She knew who she wished she had with her. The one person who had made her feel better these last few days then she ever had before "Please… help me….

"I'm going to enjoy this little violation of the school rules" Saizou said with a laugh, even as his hands turned to claws, and his tongue dangled from his mouth like a snake.

Moka fell to her knees, screaming the name of the one person she wanted by her side more then ever "CRONA!"

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Crona had just been shuffling around, his thoughts everywhere at once. Ragnorak had tried to comfort him, but couldn't think of much to say outside _**"You don't need that pink haired bimbo anyway" **_which didn't help Crona as much as he thought it would.

Suddenly, Crona stopped dead in his tracks. He could sense a sudden wavelength in the air. It was exactly the same one he had felt when Saizou had smashed the wall when he released his hand. Croan looked around wearily, not really wanting to deal with the bully right now.

"CRONA!"

Crona's head whipped in the direction of the noise. That was Moka, and she sounded like she was in trouble. And the sound of her voice was coming from the same direction as Saizou's wavelength!

Crona's hand tightened into a fist as he broke out into a run. Inside him. Ragnorak prepared himself for a fight. Being apart of Crona, he could sense the boy's thoughts and intentions. And all signs pointed to only one thing right now: If Saizou had hurt Moka in anyway, Crona would take great joy in tearing his soul out, Lord Death be damned.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Moka was on the ground, Saizou looming over her. Her jacket was ripped, and her eyes were red from crying. Saizou's unnaturally long tongue emerged from his mouth and licked the terrified girls cheeks. Moka flinched away, but Saizou just kept coming closer. "This is it Moka Akashiya. Your finally going to be mine…"

"Moka!"

Saizou halted, as he and Moka turned to find a panting Crona standing across from them. Both were feeling something different. Moka was feeling an amazing amount of relief and hope. She also felt a small tingling of fear, that her friend may end up hurt because of her. Saizou on the other hand felt nothing but anger that once again this skinny little punk was getting in the way of him getting it on with his woman.

"Why did you come back!" Saizou roared in fury. "I believe I warned you not to come near Moka ever again…"

Crona flinched at the sight of Saizou. In his monster form, he was even larger then before. His yellow looking skin bulged with gigantic muscles; with spikes protruding at his elbows and shoulders. His hands had wicked looking claws on them. All and all, Crona found Saizou had become really scary looking, and he didn't know how he could deal with that.

"Run Crona, that's Saizou's true form" Moka cried out. Even though she was terrified about what Saizou would no doubt do to her, she was even more worried about what he might do to her friend.

Crona had already figured out that the creature must have been Saizou, what with it having the same wavelength as him, and frankly he wondered if all monsters were like this guy. He wondered, if Moka took off the rosary, would she become like this? For a moment, he actually contemplated running from this behemoth.

But then he saw Moka. She looked frightened, and her cloths were torn. Crona had a pretty good guess what Saizou had been about to do before he had shown up. And with that thought, Crona banished all thoughts of fleeing from his mind. He may be somewhat of a coward, but he wouldn't leave his friend to a monster like Saizou.

Seeing that his prey wouldn't come to him, Saizou decided he would strike the first and final blow. Charging at the smaller boy, Saizou swung his arm around, planning to smash him to bits with one blow.

Crona saw the attack coming. Years of fighting experience had honed his senses to the point where Saizou seemed to be moving underwater. _"Are you ready, Ragnorak?" _he asked his partner. _**"Oh hell yeah, let's kick this guy's ass!" **_the thing that was Ragnorak responded. Normally he might have insulted Croan a little more, but even he realized now was probably not the best time.

Moka watched with horror as Saizou's blow struck, kicking up a cloud of dust in it's wake. Saizou had a different feeling. That blow should have tossed Crona away from him, but for some reason, it felt like he'd punched a wall of steel.

The dust settled, and both Saizou and Moka saw to there amazement that Crona still stood. Not only that, but he hadn't even moved from his spot. He stood there, his left arm raised, and that alone had stopped Saizou's attack cold.

_"How could that be possible?" _Saizou thought, trying to think of what monster could be durable enough to stop a punch from him. But the only thing Crona had said about his true form was….

_"You don't want to know…." _

What did he mean by that? What was he?

Crona looked into Saizou's eyes, and the large monster saw a look in them. A look that told of infinite pain and suffering.

With a simple looking shrug, Crona had pushed Saizou's arm away from him. Jumping back, he took a deep breath before addressing Saizou "For what you did to Moka… I cannot forgive you…"

After he said that, his back seemed to explode, a black substance, which Moka realized was Crona's own strange blood, flying into the air. It didn't stay in the air for long though, as it came flying into Crona's hand, taking shape as it did so. The black blood soon became the recognizable shape of a sword. The sword had a thick looking blade on a rather thin handle, with white bandages wrapped around the hilt. The entire thing was solid black. Suddenly, the point where the blade met the hilt split open to reveal a mouth with shark like teeth and a red tongue. Moka was shocked. What was her friend that he was able to make something like that out of his own blood?

_**"Yes! Free at last, free at last! Don't you ever keep me couped up for so long ever again" **_At first Moka thought Crona had said that, but his lips hadn't moved. Then she realized that it was the sword that had spoken.

"It's not my fault. I'm supposed to be avoiding fights" Crona answered his sword's rant. "In fact, do you think 'he' will be mad at us for this?" Crona asked the apparently sentient blade in a worried voice.

_**"Why? He said that we could use our power if we are in danger, or if we are defending someone! And I think defending that pink crybaby counts!" **_Ragnorak replied logically, which was rather unlike him. But it was enough for Crona.

Moka had no idea what was going on, but she was pretty sure she had just been insulted by a sword.

Saizou wasn't any less confused, but he had way less patience then anyone else here, as well as less brain power. That said, he figured the best thing to do would be to attack before Crona could attack him with that sword.

Seeing Saizou charge at him, Crona raised Ragnorak above his head, while the mouth just grinned a cheshire grin. "Screech Beta" Crona whispered quietly. With his and Ragnorak's wavelengths in synch, there was no way Saizou could win.

The mouth of the sword suddenly opened wide and….

_**"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh" **_

A horrible yell bellowed forth, sending Saizou to his knees. The sound bounced off the gravestones and trees, echoing over and over again. Moka heard it too, but her reaction was slightly different. While apart of her was repelled by the sound, something deep insider of her resonated with it. What the young vampire didn't know, was that the small sip of Crona's black blood she had taken, was still inside of her. It was that blood that resonated at Crona's wavelength, and soon it spread to Moka.

Seeing the large monster fall, Crona charge at him, dragging Ragnorak and carving a trench in the earth. Reaching Saizou, he swung the blade upward, sending a shockwave of energy into his foe and blasting him back. Saizou flew away, a deep cut across his chest, blood leaking profusely. He tried to sit up, to keep on fighting, but already tunnel vision was setting in. He couldn't believe it… defeated in a single blow. And then he knew no more, his head rolling back as unconsciousness claimed him.

Moka watched as Crona sighed and started to walk toward her. The sword in his hands shifted form, becoming what looked like a humanoid like figure that sprouted from Crona's back. It was black and white, and looked almost cartoony. It had large white eyes, with x's in place of pupils. It had spikes protruding from its shoulders, and steel bracers on their wrists. "Crona… what-"

"It's okay Moka, your safe now" Crona said gently, even as the creature on his back rolled its large eyes.

_**"That's right pinky, we saved your ass, so you'd better be ready to pay up! I demand one hundred pieces of candy right now!" **_it said, it's voice oddly high.

"Ragnorak, she doesn't need to pay anything, she's my friend. I wanted to help her" Crona tried to reason with his symbiotic partner. Ragonorak's response was to put Crona in a headlock.

_**"You shut up right now Crona or I swear I will give you a wet willy!" **_Ragnorak threatened his meister, sticking his finger in his mouth and lowering it toward Crona's ear.

"No, wait, that has your spit all over it! I don't want that in my ear, I don't know how to deal with that!" Crona said becoming panicked.

Moka gawked at the spectacle before her. The boy who less then a minute ago was kicking ass without even trying, was now being threaten with a wet willy by a cartoon growth on his back. Maybe she had hit her head harder then she thought? Finally, she couldn't hold her mirth in any longer, and broke out into a fit of laughter that distracted the two from their banter.

_**"Hey, hey! What are you laughing at you dumb girl!" **_Ragnorak asked, infuriated that someone could laugh at him.

Moka didn't answer, but instead doubled over as she saw that the creature attached to Crona was actually trying to look intimidating.

Ragnorak huffed _**"I don't have to stay here and be treated this way! See if I help you again! Neh!" **_he said, before sticking his tongue out at her before dissolving back into blood and retreating back into Crona.

Moka finally calmed herself "I hope I didn't upset him" she said worriedly, not meaning any offense to the little thing.

Crona scratched his head, somewhat embarrassed by Ragnorak's behavior. "I wouldn't worry about it too much, he'll come around. You'll just need to buy him some candy from the school store." Crona explained, causing Moka to let out a sigh of relief.

Suddenly, Moka straightened up "Crona, I just wanted to say; I'm sorry. It was wrong of me to judge all humans based on the ones I knew as a child. I meant no offense to your friend what so ever." She said in a rush, bowing her head "Can you forgive me?" she asked timidly.

Crona reached out to put his hand on her shoulder, then thought better of it. He still wasn't comfortable touching people like that yet. Instead, he offered a small smile "Of course Moka" he said, earning himself a loud squeal of excitement from the pink haired girl.

"Oh thank you!" She said, jumping forward and enveloping him in a hug. Crona couldn't stop himself from cringing slightly. It wasn't that he found the hug unpleasant, but Moka didn't seem to quite realize the extent of her strength.

Moka also noted Crona's stiffening at her touch, and that made her frown. But soon, that frown faded away as something came to her. It was that sent. The sent she would now always identify as Crona's.

"Crona…" she whispered quietly, slowly, she inched closer and closer to her target.

"Moka…." Crona said uncertainly, his eyes widening as he realized what she might be doing.

"Chuu~~~!" she said trying to bite him.

"Gahhh!" Crona cried out as Moka bite him.

_**"Hiyah!" **_Ragnorak yelled, popping out of Crona's back and delivering a solid sucker punch to Moka's nose, forcing her back before she could really get started.

"ow, my nose" Moka said, her hands covering her sore nose. They were also covering the blush that was spreading over her face. Once again, she had only gotten the barest taste of Crona's immaculate blood, but it was still enough to put the girl on cloud nine.

"Ah, Ragnorak, I think you may have hit Moka too hard" Crona said meekly, not sure how he felt about defending someone that had just tried to drink his blood… again.

"I'm sorry Crona, I could't help myself!" Moka tried to explain, taking a step toward Crona, who reflexively took a step back. "Your blood… it's too delicious! Please, you have to let me have just a little more!" Moka begged, hands clasped over her heart, continuing to advance on poor Crona.

"Now, Moka, let's talk about this…" Crona tried, but he could already tell it wouldn't be of any use. With that in mind, it seemed like a good opportunity to beat a hasty retreat. Turning, he broke out into a run, only to look over his shoulder and see Moka following him with stars in her eyes.

"But I wanna suck your blood!" she cried out, starting to pick up speed.

Crona could feel himself start to shake "Oh man, I know we're friends, but having one who wants to drink my blood….? I really don't know how to deal with that!"

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

On a far away hillside, the bus driver stood smoking his cigar. Unlikely as it seemed, he had seen everything. Blowing a ring of smoke into the air, he looked up into sky, a thoughtful look on his face "So, that boy is the one Lord Death sent. Seems like a weird kid…." he said, though who he was talking to was anyone's guess. "But he may just work out after all…." he said, before he saw Crona put on a burst of speed to escape his cute vampiric pursuer. "I just wonder if he can keep it up. This place is awfully full of perils. I guess we'll just have to wait and see…"

**End Chapter 1**

**AN: **

**So, what did you think? Is it good? I hope so. As I write this, there are actually only two other stories in the "Soul Eater / Rosario Vampire crossover section. Here's hoping mine measures up. For those curious as to when in the Soul Eater time-line this takes place: Well, it's obviously an AU, sense Medusa isn't dead yet. But if I must pinpoint a specific chapter... Let me put it this way: whatever powers Crona has in the manga, he has here. They just happen to be under strict supervision from Lord Death. Crona can only use his powers to defend himself or others. If he uses his higher level powers, he'd better have a damn good reason for it, because he'll have to explain himself to Lord Death. **

**By the way, currently this story is rated "T", but as time goes on, that may change. We shall simply have to wait and see...  
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**Well, that's that, I hope you all enjoyed this first of this new story. I know I did. If this story becomes anywhere near as popular as my other story, I may have to think about continuing expanding. I do have an idea for a Ben 10 / Harry Potter Crossover, though I don't think that'll be coming out for some time. But don't worry, I will always look after my other stories as well. I'd hate to become one of those writers who's always starting new stories, and they're awesome, but they never get finished. That sucks.  
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**Please feel free to tell me what you think. **

**Until Next Time...  
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	2. Dealing with a Succubus

**Greetings everyone, and welcome once again. I was pleasantly surprised by the positive turnout this story received. Many of you seem to enjoy it, so how could I not put out another chapter for you guys? **

**For those curious, my Naruto In Hell story is about 20% completed. I know that doesn't sound like a lot, but if you've ever read one of my chapters on that story, you can tell it's certainly a step in the right direction. **

**Honestly, I don't really have that much else to say about this chapter. So let's just go ahead and answer some reviews shall we?: **

**pyromania101: First off, congrats on being the first reviewer. Also yeah, I know what you mean. I was excited to get this new story out there, and maybe didn't correct it as much as I should. Comedy, yes, though I will try to give everyone a chance at being funny. Well, I hope you like it. **

**konnichiwa: Thank you, I try. I hope you enjoy it. **

**bleach1790: I am glad I changed your perceptions. I get how Crona could be a girl, but... I don't know... he always struck me as a guy, just an girly looking one. Yeah, Crona's type of personality isn't easy to get down properly, so it's good to know I got it down. Crona's emotional problems will make it difficult for him to form relationships, but I don't think that will stop the girls from trying. I hope you enjoy my reasons behind Kurumu's feelings. I'm still not sure who the final pairing might be, if this will be a one on one relationship, or if I'll actually make it into a harem. We'll just have to wait and see. Now, don't explode, here it is. **

**Susanoon: Many thanks. I'm glad you like it so much. **

**crona maka: Good to hear. He's my favorite too. **

**Feldoran: I'm glad you like it. You really should read Rosario + Vampire. It's certainly a good read. How will Crona deal with the witches at the school? Not telling. It is funny huh. **

**Clemrl: Thank you. I know the story you're talking about. He's done some good work, so I guess I'll have to try extra hard to match him, if not surpass him. I know it's not really a contest, but don't all authors wish for there stories to be the best in their specific category? Glad it made you smile. **

**Andyfire123: I will admit, I wasn't expecting that. Don't worry, I had no intention of giving the Mokas a little demon. So, you want to challenge me to a battle of authors do you? Well fine, GAME ON! indeed. Prepare for a battle of the ages, for I am Scarecrow'sMainFan, writer of epic length stories, and conqueror of the Naruto x Dante's Inferno crossover section! First I shall defeat you, then, I shall take down the author of Death plus Vampire! Bwahahahahahahaha! **

**In all seriousness though, good luck with your story "Black-Blooded Vampire", it certainly has the potential to be something great. This little section of fanfiction really needs good stories in it to draw notice to it. **

**So without further delay, let's dig into another chapter of: **

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_** Chapter 2: Dealing with a Succubus  
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Another calm day had begun at Youkai Academy. The skies had maintained their dreary clouds, and the air was tepid at best, and chilly at worst. It was this atmosphere that Crona wondered through, his face paler then usual. Under normal circumstances, he could pretend this was just a normal, if somewhat dreary school. When the students remembered to keep up their disguises, he could act like this wasn't, in fact, a school for monsters. Unfortunately for him, monsters were apparently not morning people. Some of the more sleepy monsters he had past, were either out in full form, or stuck halfway between human and monster in some horrifying fashion.

Normally, he'd say something to Ragnorak about it, only to be called names and made fun of. This routine had been engraved in him as long as he could remember. Talk about his fears, have Ragnorak belittle him, then eventually force Crona to work through them. It wasn't a perfect system, but it worked!

Sadly, Ragnorak was not a morning person either. He, however, had the option of staying in and catching some extra sleep. This usually meant that he wouldn't talk to, or even come out of, Crona until nearly noon. Crona wondered why a creature such as Ragnorak would need sleep, but the last time he had asked, Ragnorak had punched him in the nose and threatened to eat all his food for a month for asking stupid personal questions. It wasn't really fair, that Ragnorak essentially knew everything about him, but was unwilling to reciprocate. Oh, Crona knew about Ragnorak sure, but only through what he had gleamed through years spent with him.

Crona's thoughts were interrupted when the crowd around him (mostly the boys) all turned around and began to whisper excitedly to one another. "Oh, hey look it's Moka!" they say, as the pink haired object of their collective desires walks toward them. "She looks just as stunning as ever! It's like she's surrounded by light!" they exclaim. Crona just shook his head. All these guys going crazy over Moka was odd, and not something he really knew how to deal with. At Death Academy, he hadn't ever noticed anyone behaving in such a manner to the girls there. Maybe it had to do with the fact that the students at Death Academy were being trained to be professional killers?

Moka looked their way, and a smile broke out on her face. This just lead to a round of "She's so dazzling", or "She's obviously the Academy's #1 beauty!". The poor guys didn't seem to realize that her smile had nothing to do with them. Or maybe they did and just didn't care? Who can truly understand the mind of the fanboy?

Crona took one of his shaky steps forward "Good morning Moka." he said in his usual calm, almost quite, voice.

Moka's grin widened, and she quickly closed the distance between them, easily bypassing the fanboys. Before Crona knew what had happened, Moka had wrapped herself around his arm and was greeting him with a hug. "Morning Crona!" she exclaimed in her peppy manner.

Of course the fanboys were horrified. The looks of shock and sadness on their faces were almost comical.

"Nooooo! There's a guy with Moka!" one fanboys shouted.

"What? Him Again! What kind of relationship does he have with Moka?" another responded with accusations and questions.

"He's not getting away with this! I'm gonna beat him to death!" was the final and most violent comment Crona could make out.

Crona was feeling very flustered. He had spent most of his time trying to avoid being the center of attention. It wasn't something he knew how to deal with. But now here he was, thrust into the limelight. It didn't help that Moka kept pressing herself against him. She had to be doing it accidentally right? She and him were only friends and that was it. Just friends… and even then he wasn't sure he could handle that.

As the two walked on, the vampire and the kind-of sort-of-almost-but-not-quite Kishin, they were unaware that they were being watched. Not by the crowd of jealous fanboys, but by someone else. Someone who looked on at them with bared teeth, and hate filled eyes.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

"Crona, I think it must be lonely, with all your friends back at your old school but…'" Moka began "I'll be there for you. If there's anything I can do, jut tell me okay" Moka finished, a blush on her cheeks. Crona nodded, totally missing said blush.

Moka was referring to the story Crona had told her about his life before Youkai Academy. Obviously he couldn't tell her the whole truth. The truth that until recently, he had been a psychotic killing machine. That his school was a place where people were trained to do battle with evil souls, malicious witches, and demon gods? Oh that would go over well. Instead, he'd had to give her the watered down version of it. He'd told her of his friends, but nothing of his family. He wasn't sure if his late mother's reputation was know to monsters, but he wouldn't risk it. He had told her about his school, but again, only the bare bones minimum. A part of him wondered what he would do if the truth ever came out. Frankly, that was something he prayed he never had to deal with.

But again, Crona had to wonder why person like Moka would ever hang out with him in the first place. Even Maka, his first friend, had a life of her own. She had other friends besides him. So why would Moka chose to spend her time with him? Maybe he was just being paranoid. His life in general didn't exactly lend itself to a healthy emotional state. Still, it wouldn't hurt to ask….

"Moka, why are you doing this for me…?" he asked tentatively.

Moka's blush increase, and she scooted closer to Crona, much to his discomfort. "Why? Because…" Her face was right up in his, and no matter how far back he leaned, she kept coming! "I…" he did not know how to deal with this! Why did she have to get so close to him to talk? "I…." Suddenly, she was close enough that he could see her vampiric fangs poking out of her mouth. And suddenly it all made sense to him.

Moka tried to fight her urge. She had something really important to tell him! But the longer she was with him, the closer she invariably got. And the closer she got, the more it became difficult to think. The smell of his blood… so intoxicating. What was she doing again? Right, Crona…. something to do with Crona… the boy with the most delicious blood in the world. Moka didn't always need blood, but when she did, she preferred Crona.

Without realizing it, Moka had leaned forward to bite Crona's neck, her eyes closed, already anticipating the sweet nectar that was his strange black blood. It was only when a hand placed itself on her shoulder that she paused. She tried to push against it, but it wouldn't let her. Opening her eyes, she came face to face with an upset Crona.

"You were going to try and suck my blood again, weren't you?" Crona asked. His voice wasn't angry, more like it was meek and sad. More so then usual.

Moka, thinking this was about Crona not wanting her to bite his neck because it hurt him, tried to explain "Sorry" she apologize, her face blushing in embarrassment now. "It's just because your aroma is so good" she said. Crona's expression hadn't change, in fact in may have gotten worse. Maybe if she explained to him how good his blood was, he would understand that she at least had to try? "Your blood really is the yummiest, Crona! I think I could get addicted to you, if you ever let me have some" she finished with a giggle.

Suddenly, Crona bolted upright and ran off. "But I don't want to deal with being your food!" he cried, and Moka thought she saw tears in his eyes.

"Crona?" Moka called after her friend. Maybe she had overdone it this time?

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Crona wondered the wilderness surrounding Youkai Academy. He was feeling rather depressed, more so then usual. He was beginning to wonder if the only reason Moka wanted to hang around him was because she like his blood. "I didn't think Moka would be hanging around with me just to suck my blood." he said, though only to himself. While he would love to talk to someone, nobody was around, and Ragnorak was still snoozing.

Maybe he was looking at this the wrong way? Moka didn't seem like she held any malicious intent toward him. And she wasn't trying to drink his blood all the time. Perhaps he had overreacted? Besides, he used to eat human souls, was he really going to judge her for drinking blood. Maybe if they just talked things out, they could still be friends. He really wanted a friend here, because he wouldn't know how to deal with the freaky school alone. A loud snore echoed in the back of his head. Well, almost alone.

Deciding he would go find Moka and sort this out with her, Crona was stopped by a noise. Someone was moaning not far from him! Sense he was trying to be a better person, he made his way over to where he heard the moan.

It was a girl! She was crumpled on the ground, clutching herself in pain. She wore the standard female short skirt, but was also wearing a yellow sweater shirt in place of the standard jacket. She had blue hair, and lovely violet eyes. As he got closer he also picked up on another fact about her. She had some large…. stars that were pinned up in her hair scrunchy. She also had a big…. bow that was tied to the front of her shirt. Oh, and there was the matter of her giant breasts! How a girl her age had breasts that large was mystery to Crona. Frankly, he wasn't sure how to deal with being around a girl like her.

He was saved the trouble of starting the conversation when the girl looked up at him "Help me, please… I just suddenly started feeling ill…" she trailed off.

Crona nodded. The girl was apparently sick, and had passed out. Okay, she needed a nurse, he could deal with that. He blushed, realizing that if she was too weak to stand, he would have to carry her to the nurse. That meant he would have to not only get close to her, but touch her as well. And even if she was very attractive, he wasn't good with human contact. Steeling his resolve, he bent down to try and help her. If he could get through this, he'd be one step closer to being able to deal with people better. "C-can you stand up?" he asked her, stuttering as he placed a hand on her shoulder "Let's go to the school infirmary" he said, sounding calmer then he felt.

As they stood and began to walk toward the school, the girl turned to look at him "Thank you very much. I've always had a weak body" she said clutching him tighter. She started gasping, which only made Crona panic as he worried something was wrong. "My…. my.. chest…. My chest just started hurting all of a sudden" she said, pushing her massive mammaries against the stunned Crona's chest "Hold me tight like this" she said, tightening her grip on him.

She needn't have bothered, her words and actions were causing the poor boy's mind to shut down "wha?" was all he was able to get out.

"My chest feels like its going to burst!" the girl exclaimed, pressing both of her breasts against Crona's chest.

Crona's mind was in a frenzy. _"What do I do! Her chest does seem like it's about to burst! Focus! How am I supposed to deal with this! Lord Death never said anything about this! They're so big and soft! AH, what am I thinking, I'm such an idiot! I need to figure out how I'm supposed to deal with this!_ Crona had never really had a lot of extended interaction with the opposite sex, save Maka, and she had never behaved like this. And it wasn't like Lady Medusa had given him a lot of education regarding male to female interaction. Oh he knew the basics of everything, Ragnorak was too much of a pervert not to know, but he had no idea of what he was supposed to do here and now!

Only semi-aware of the boy's flustered state, the girl spoke "Hey, look into my eyes Crona…" she asked.

Crona's mind was in a whirl, and part of him wondered how she knew his name sense he had never given it. On reflex, he looked down at her, and locked eyes.

"I'm Kurumu Kurono." she said, a lovely blush on her face "Please be a good friend to me, ok?" she asked. As she said those words, she began to use her **Charm** power, and started to grasp at Crona's mind.

Crona's eyes widened, she wanted him to be her friend? He could hardly believe that another person wanted to be his friend already! First Moka, now this girl.. Kurumu was it? Why? What could make her want to be his friend?

And then the **Charm** had penetrated his mind. No matter how strong Crona was on the battlefield, he had next to no mental defenses. Years of his mother using spells on his mind to make him more aggressive had eroded any natural defenses he may have possessed. Kurumu herself was surprised at how easily his mind was succumbing.

Crona just stared at her _"She has such beautiful eyes" _he thought of the girl. This wonderful girl that wanted to be with him as his friend. He tightened his grip on her possessively _"Why am I starting to want to hold her more tightly?" _he wondered as he clung to her. Suddenly the answer was obvious: he had to keep her safe, this, his newest and best friend. She meant the world to him, to couldn't bare the idea of being apart from her. He knew that she would always be there for him, like a true friend would. She was someone he could tell all his fears too, and she would understand. She would understand, and she would help him keep his fears at bay! He could finally be happy! Dealing with things would never be an issue again! And unlike that other girl (what was her name, he knew he knew it?) she would never, ever take advantage of him!

Oh, if only Crona knew the truth behind his new friend.

Kurumu could only smile and laugh like… well a school girl, as a love sick Crona held her too him, hearts practically in his eyes. She was starting to get why that dreadful Moka girl like him so much, he really was fun to have around.

Meanwhile, said girl had just walked around the corner. She was still a ways off, so the now hugging couple couldn't see her. "Crona?" she asked, not sure what to make of the sight of her friend hugging some strange girl. Then she noticed the smile on Crona's face. It was large and brighter then any she'd seen when he was with her. Her shoulders slumped as her knees threatened to buckle beneath her.

"he he, aren't you the popular one…. but be careful of women boy." a voice spoke from beside her, making the vampire jump in surprise.

"Who are you!" she asked, seeing a strange looking man smoking a cigar next to her. His eyes were covered by his hat, but she could detect a faint glow coming from beneath them.

The man turned and started to walk away, laughing as he spoke "just your average passerby" he said offhandedly, before disappearing into Youkai Academy's foggy grounds.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

The next day did not raise Moka's spirits at all. She was still thinking about what she had seen the other day. Who was that girl, and what was she to Crona? The way they had held each other…. they looked like lovers! Was this all because she treated Crona like a juice box? Probably….

"I'm a terrible person. Why is it when I'm with Crona I just want to suck his blood?" she asked herself. She didn't have an answer of course.

_"Snap out of it!" _a regal voice snapped at her. Moka looked around startled, looking for the source of the voice. _"This isn't the time to feel down! You are being targeted!" _the voice warned.

Now Moka was really weirded out. Where had that voice come from? And what did it mean she was being targeted?

"You are a **Vampire **right?" a snide voice asked from above her. Looking up, she saw the girl from the other day, the one who had held Crona so close to her. She was sitting on the railing of the stairs a floor above her. "That's at least what the rumors say, **Moka Akashiya"** the girl continued, drawing out Moka's full name like it was something ridiculous.

"You!" Moka said, subconsciously clenching her fist "You were the one with Crona earlier!" she said, her normally happy voice laced with an accusing tone.

The blue haired girl smirked. Then, she gracefully slide off the banister and glided to the ground floor, the wind blowing up her skirt as she fell; revealing her panties to anyone who was watching. Moka felt her eyebrow twitch; did this girl have no shame?

Of course, every guy in the surrounding are was impressed. They stopped dead in their tracks to get a look at the blue haired beauty. They couldn't believe that there was a second super hot girl in this school! Mostly though, they noticed her gigantic boobs!

The girl seemed to soak up the attention, not at all minding the comments on her body. She walked toward Moka, strutting her hips sexily as she did, causing many of the weaker boys to fall unconscious via nosebleed.

"I am the succubus Kurumu Kurono" The slightly shorter girl said, leaning right into Moka's face. "I… have come to defeat you." she said simply.

Moka was rather surprised, not to mention just plain confused. Why did this girl want to defeat her? What had she done to this girl, this succubus. "Wait a minute" Moka said, her hands raised in a placating gesture "Isn't it against the school rules to give away your true form?" she asked, trying to put off a fight.

But Kurumu would not be swayed "I can't stand it anymore!" she shouted, pointing an accusing finger at Moka "You're the biggest eyesore in the way of my great plan!" she told Moka, her pretty eyes narrowed in a vicious glare.

"P-Plan?" Moka asked, having no idea what the other girl was rambling about. Maybe those giant boobs had sucked the blood from her brain? Hmm…

Kurumu didn't seem offended that Moka didn't know what was going on. "Yes, my plan is to make every member of the male student body at this Academy completely become my slave!" she reveled, her hands moving across her body in a seductive manner "This, is the Youkai Academy Harem Transformation Plan!" she finished. Behind her, the boys had gathered in mass, their eyes were hearts, transfixed on her every move. They were so distracted by their lust, that they were pretty much unaware of everything Kurumu had just said. At this point, nothing short of a physical blow would snap them out of it.

Moka of course was also stunned, her mouth dropping open in surprise. "…. " really what do you say when another girl tells you that she plans to make hundreds of men her slaves in her harem?

"My plan was perfect!" Kurumu continued her required villainous monologue "I should have had every guy at the Academy a slave to my beauty right from the start!" she said, her eyes glazing over as she imagined skipping through the halls of the Academy, throngs of love sick boys screaming her praises as she past. But then she snapped back to reality as she recalled the horrible truth "However!" she snapped, getting right up in Moka's face "Moka Akashiya, the guys at this Academy are dreaming about you rather than me!" her eyebrow twitched as she thought of such an atrocity. "I'm not letting you get away with this, I could never lose in a battle of feminine charm!" she declared.

Kurumu must have been putting off quite a negative vibe, as the boys behind her were starting to take notice of the heated, one-sided argument in front of them. Slowly, they began to back away. No matter how hot the girls were, they were still monsters, and a fight between monsters wasn't something they wanted to get near.

Kurumu had come to her favorite part of her little speech "That's why Iv'e decided to prove I can defeat you, I'll show I'm better then you by stealing Crona from you!" she finished dramatically.

Moka was horrified. That was what the girl was trying to do with Crona? She was just manipulating him to get to her! "Wait, stop, Crona doesn't have anything to do with this…" she didn't care if this girl wanted to hurt her. But Crona was such a kind hearted person, for anyone to try and take advantage of him, made Moka sick to her stomach.

"I can understand why you'd want to keep him" Kurumu nodded, hand on her hips "I knew it from the moment we were close earlier. He has this great scent, and his aura… it's like nothing I've ever experienced before" Kurumu admitted, a light blush forming on her cheeks.

She then cast a knowing smirk in Moka's direction "Is his blood delicious?" she asked "You're using Crona as 'food' aren't you?" seeing the look on Moka's face made Kurumu break out in cruel laughter "Ahahaha, your face when he is taken from you will be a sight to see!" she said.

Moka shook her head frantically "No… I'm not using him, I'm…." she was what? True, there were times when she had tried to take advantage of Crona and suck his blood, but did that really mean she was using him as her food? No, of course not! This girl could never understand what made Crona so special.

"Moka!" speak of the devil and he shall appear! The two girls turned as the voice of the very boy they were discussing ended their argument… for now.

"Ah, there you are!" Crona said, jogging down the hall toward them. But he wasn't alone. Sticking out of his back, was none other then Ragnorak. After he'd woken up, he had sensed his meisters mood, and insisted on getting the full story. After hearing Crona's decision regarding Moka, the imp had demanded that they go see Moka right then. He wanted his candy, and it was time for her to pay up!

"Sorry for running off like that" Crona apologized, making Moka smile. Kurumu was somewhat distracted by the creature growing out of her target's back. She wasn't sure what it was. It was kind of chibi, in an odd sort of way. Was that part of Crona's true form? When she **charmed **him again, she'd have to ask and find out.

Crona didn't know about Kurumu's plans for him, and went right on with his apology "And there's something else I want to apologize for Moka-" he started.

But before he could get the words out, he was tackled from the side by the busty minx know as Kurumu. "oh, it's Crona!" she crooned, cuddling into Crona, causing the poor boy to panic as his face turned a deep scarlet. "Thank you so much for earlier" she said, rubbing her boobs vigorously against Crona's chest. She was leaning on him so hard Crona was having trouble staying upright.

"Why are you here Kurumu?" Crona asked trying to control himself. He hadn't expected to see her again so soon, if at all. Frankly, being around her made him nervous…. well, more so then usual anyway. The last time they'd met up, his mind had gone all fuzzy, and he had trouble remembering exact details of his time with her. Frankly, those weren't things he really knew how to deal with.

Looking over at his friend, he could see Moka glowering at Kurumu. Hoping to avoid a fight, he tried to pry Kurumu off him, but she was proving surprisingly strong. "Wait a minute Kurumu, I came to apologize to Moka!"

_**"Oi, forget about apologizing, I want my candy! You'd better be ready to pay up you cry baby!"**_Ragnorak shouted, his body being shaken up as Crona tried to dislodge that other girl. Ragnorak wasn't sure what was going on. He had woken up to an emotional Crona (which wasn't that abnormal), who was on his way to see that cry baby vampire. That worked out great, because Ragnorak hadn't forgotten the candy she owed him. And, just when his goal was in sight, his stupid meister had been blindsided by this blue haired girl. The way she was clinging to him, it was hard to get a good look at her. But right now her looks didn't matter, only his desire for candy did! And since Crona was, as usual, too weak to do anything by himself, he would have to intervene.

He turned his attention to the blue haired girl keeping him from delicious sugary treats _**"Listen here girly, I don't know what your deal is, but if you don't back off right now, I'm gonna give you such a whoopin-!" **_He said, smacking Kurumu's head with his currently small fists. He could have gone into his larger form, but that would take unnecessary power and draw too much attention. Though if this girl didn't get the hint soon….

Kurumu was distracted from rubbing her breasts against Crona by the suddenly less cute creature on his back. Finally, she took a step back from it, giving Ragnorak a full view of her. _**"Holy Shit!" **_he cried, startlingly those around him _**"Look at the size of those boobies!" **_he cried out. He leaned forward, stretching as much as his body would allow, trying to get to those soft looking bowling balls of feminine goodness _**"They look so soft, let me get a good feel of them girly!" **_he demanded, even as Kurumu stepped out of reach.

Inside, Kurumu was laughing at her good fortune. Whatever that thing was, it seemed more then pleased by her looks. That should make it, and by extension Crona, easier to control.

Meanwhile, a dark cloud was forming around Moka. When she had seen Ragnorak, she had hopes that he would somehow drive the Succubus away. She would have rewarded him well, as she had in fact gone to the school store and gotten a couple bags of candy. But apparently Ragnorak was as much a pervert as any other man in the Academy, save Crona, and was already falling for Kurumu's spell.

Crona could tell that the situation was deteriorating rapidly, but had no idea how to stop it. It seemed candy wouldn't be enough to dissuade Ragnorak. He was also worried about Kurumu. Even if she did give him a weird vibe, she didn't deserve to be felt up by Ragnorak in such a manner.

"Crona!" Moka cried taking a step forward, getting the trio's attention. "You're being tricked, Crona! Hurry up and get that girl off you!" she tried to warn her friend. He seemed to be listening, and she could tell he was starting to tense up. Kurumu must have felt it, because she sent Moka a hate filled glare. Ragnorak was still ignoring her though, too busy trying to feel up the Succubus. Luckily, she had an idea. "Oh and Ragnorak, I got the candy you asked for" she said. Ragnorak cast a glance in her direction but didn't stop his grope attempts. Okay, time for the clincher "you said you wanted five hundred pieces of candy right? Was that enough?"

It must have been, because Ragnorak stopped and swiveled to face Moka, leaving a confused and angry looking Kurumu still clinging to a fearful Crona. _**"Fi-Five hundred?" **_he asked, hardly able to believe it. He hadn't thought the girl would actually give into his demands, let alone exceed them.

"Was that not enough?" Moka asked innocently, a light smile on her face "I got an extra hundred if it's not. It's all in my locker, we just have to go get it" she said, pointing behind her to indicate he should follow her to get his treat.

Well that sealed the deal. He cast a glance at the confused looking girl on Crona's arm. Sure she was hot and had a nice rack, but from what he'd observed, this school seemed to have a plentiful amount of gorgeous babes. Plus, Moka was quite the looker herself, and she got him candy.

Turning to Crona, he gave his weak willed meister a simple punch to the head _**"Well, you heard her Crona, let's go. I'm not gonna let you hold me up just so you can play with some big-boobied she monster" **_he said simply, acting as though he hadn't been trying to get a handful of Kurumu not ten seconds ago.

"H-How awful, how can you say such things about me?" Kurumu asked, trying to regain control of the situation. Inside, she was furious. What the hell was going on? One second it looked like she was going to be able to steal Crona away without having to resort to her powers, the next, Moka had secured the loyalty of the little creature on her target's back! Fine, it that was how they wanted to play it, she'd do it the hard way.

She swayed on her feet, pretending to become faint. "Oh no…. I'm getting dizzy again…. we've got to go to the infirmary" she whispered, then 'fainted' against Crona. As she started to slide to the ground, Crona caught her on reflex. She turned slightly in his rather skinny arms, her eyes snapping open to lock with his surprised blue ones. The moment they did, she began to **Charm** him.

Crona's knees buckled as he felt his mind begin to tumble. _"It's happening again" _he thought, his thoughts becoming more and more estranged from his control. He suddenly realized he didn't care that Ragnorak wanted candy. He wanted to stay here with Kurumu, his one true friend. _"Wait, didn't Moka say it was a trick" _he thought with some measure of difficulty. That thought was squashed by another wave of positive feelings about Kurumu. How ridiculous. Kurumu was his friend, she would never do that to him. _"But isn't Moka are friend too? Why would she lie?" _the voice of reason asked, though by now it was very weak. Well it was obvious to the rest of Crona's mind. Moka was probably mad she wouldn't be able to try and drink his blood anymore. Shame on her. Why did he ever hang out with her in the first place?

Kurumu smirked as she felt her power take hold. The boy had put up a slight resistance this time, but it was hardly enough.

Moka became concerned when she saw Crona's head sway. Ragnorak was getting annoyed, because Crona was ignoring him. And, not that he would ever mention it of course, he was becoming slightly concerned. He felt a slight change in Crona's wavelength. It was similar to what Lady Medusa would use to make Crona more violent. Only, this didn't seem to be doing that; so what was going on.

"Please believe me" Moka begged her friend, who was just continuing to stand there "That girl is dangerous, Crona! You're going to be eaten by her…" she trailed off. That was technically a lie, sense she had no idea what the girl intended to do to Crona. But she figured that the idea of being eaten would be scary enough to make Crona put some distance between himself and the Succubus.

Crona looked up at her, his eyes seeming to gaze at something far away "Oh really!" he said, his voice a normal tone. Well, normal for someone else. Which meant that for Crona, it was nearly shouting. That sent up warning flares in both Moka and Ragnorak's minds. "Aren't you the one trying to suck my blood Moka?" Crona asked like he was talking about the weather.

Even though she knew Crona wasn't himself, the comment still cut her deeper then any knife.

Kurumu smirked, imagining herself giving the victory sigh in her head.

Ragnorak was stunned. Crona was never mean. Ever. What had this bitch done to his meister?

_**"Oi, what the hell?" **_he shouted pointing at Kurumu _**"What the hell did you do?" **_he pointed accusingly at her.

"Ragnorak, shut up. Why don't you go back inside now?" Crona said, still in that right-but-not-really tone of voice.

Ragnorak clenched his fist, controlled or not, Crona was not allowed to talk to him that way. _**"Shut up Crona! After all I do for you, you're gonna let some slut take you down! You're an even bigger wuss then I thought!" **_he shouted at Crona while strangling him, trying to elicit some sort of reaction from Crona. So far, nothing.

Kurumu frowned. If that thing kept beating at her new toy, he might manage to wake Crona up. She had hoped that by controlling Crona, she would gain control over this obnoxious little devil. Apparently not. Oh well, this was a relatively easy problem to fix. Now, what had Crona called him? Ragnorak?

"Oh, Ragnorak" Kurumu called out in her most sultry voice. Ragnorak looked up form punching Crona in the forehead to glare at her.

_**"What do you want lady?" **_he asked her with contempt in his voice. Well, that just wouldn't do at all.

**"Charm" **Kurumu whispered as she sought to pierce the creature's mind with her power. Ragnorak froze in place as the foreign power invaded his mind. He was certainly more difficult to take down then Crona that was for sure. But then, so suddenly it surprised even Kurumu, Ragnorak's mental resistance fell away, and Kurumu was sure that she had taken him over.

"Ready to go boys?" she asked them both.

"Yes Kurumu, whatever you say" Crona said with the same zombie like expression.

_**"Sure thing girly" **_Ragnorak replied. It wasn't his usual boisterous tone, but it wasn't quite the same as Crona's. Kurumu frowned slightly at this, but let it go. After all, she'd gotten what she came for.

Moka felt her heart crumble. When she saw Ragnorak stop resisting this girl, she knew it was over. She had lost. Her eyes welled up with tears, and she turned and ran down the hall, away from the dreadful sight.

Kurumu grinned viciously at the sight. She had one. Turning, she walked ahead of Crona and Ragnorak, leading them away. There was one last thing to take care of for her victory to be complete.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

_"I did it!" _Kurumu cried out joyously in her head. She had taken Crona and Ragnorak into an empty room in the infirmary. The two boys currently sat on a chair, staring into space. _"I made that annoying Moka cry" _she continued to gloat. She sat on the bed, using every once of self restraint to not break out into a victory dance. Though, if one took notice, they would see a demon-like tail had sprouted from under Kurumu's skirt and was wagging happily.

Crona sat, mentally exhausted in the chair. _"I… wonder why I said something like that to Moka?" _he thought to himself. All of his thoughts were coming out sluggishly, and it was difficult to concentrate.

Kurumu cast a glance at Crona. All she had to do now was make Crona her slake and she won. Looking at him, she blushed slightly while thinking of what was too come. In the right light, she supposed he did look kinda cute; even if he was a weak willed idiot.

"Crona…." she said, scooting closer to him. Crona looked up, his eyes blinking as though he were coming out of a dream…. or a nightmare.

Before he had time to focus on the world around him, he found his entire view taken up by the color yellow. Kurumu had gently taken hold of his head, and mushed it into her soft breasts. Crona's eyes widened as his mind tried to process this information. He **knew** he didn't know how to deal with this kind of interaction. What was going on? He had just been in a fight with Moka hadn't he? Now this was happening.

"You're sad, aren't you Crona?" Kurumu said softly, running her fingers through his soft pinkish-purple hair. She pulled him closer to her "Don't worry…. Kurumu will make you feel all better…." she finished, really enjoying this feeling of control.

Then she felt something that made her eye twitch. Casting a glance over her shoulder, she saw something she had **almost **managed to forget about. Using the close embrace to his advantage, Ragnorak had stretched out, and was now fondling her ass. Now it took every bit of her self restraint not to break character and decapitate the bold little thing.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Not far from Crona's location, Moka sat in solitude. Her eyes occasionally spilt tears as she thought about the recent events that had taken place. "I wonder… what am I to Crona?" she spoke out loud to herself. "Do I really just want Crona for his blood?" she thought. "I…." she was interrupted by a pulse of energy from her chest.

_"Naive one…. Crona is just being manipulated!" _a stern regal voice chastised her.

"Wah" Moka thought, looking around for the source of the voice.

_"It's called a charm…." _the voice continued _"It's a work of sorcery which turns the opposite sex into your slave" _it explained.

"A voice from the Rosary?" Moka asked, realizing where the voice was coming from. After that, she quickly processed what it was saying to her.

_"I am another you… I'm using the rosary as a medium through which to talk to you from deep within your psyche…." _the voice told Moka, whose eyes widened at that tidbit of knowledge.

"Another me?" Moka said with curious wonder, trying to ponder the implications of such a thing. Luckily the Rosary was able to get them back on track.

_"The succubus is a monster that seduces males. A male who receives a kiss from a succubus is doomed to be her slave for all eternity…" _the voice trailed off, but the implication was clear. _"Hurry… at this rate Crona will be made into Kurumu's servant. _

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Kurumu had lead Crona onto one of the beds, and was now straddling his waist with her thighs. She had used **Charm **to order Ragnorak away, not wanting kiss the demon yet (if she decided to kiss it at all), but also not wanting it to perve on her moment.

Crona saw her lean in towards him, her lips puckering for a kiss. "Kurumu" Crona murmured weakly. It was strange. Whenever he looked at Kurumu, he found it hard to think, and he didn't know how to deal with that. But right now, his new friend was about to make out with him, and Crona wasn't sure it was for the right reasons. Moka's words kept coming back to him.

Kurumu was very excited. _"Even my heart has started to race" _she thought _"But with this kiss, the charm spell be complete. With this kiss, I can get back at Moka Akashiya!" _her determination was something all Succubi were meant to do. It was for the good of her race that she would strip this boy of his free will. Sure it wasn't fair, but life wasn't fair. Plus, she'd also get a servant out of the deal, which was always something.

She was inches away now, her hands on Crona's cheeks, drawing his face toward her. She thought she heard him mutter something that almost sounded like 'wait', but that was impossible surely. No matter, it was time for the kiss.

Suddenly, skinny yet strong arms wrapped around her and pulled her close. She was put off balances the figure beneath her rose up. Kurumu found herself not in a kiss, but a hug. Kurumu blinked, not sure what had happened.

"I'm sorry" Crona apologized, holding her to him. "I do think you're very pretty. But you're taking this friendship a bit to far too fast." he tried to explain himself "And frankly, I'm not sure how to deal with that right now." He pulled back and looked at her stunned face. A face which quickly turned to one of anger.

With a show of strength not fitting to one of her size, Kurumu pushed him back down. With a glare, she focused all her power and sent a mind numbing **charm **at Crona. The boy had no time to react as his mind was frozen in place, unable to do much of anything.

Kurumu took several deep breaths. She could hardly believe he had managed to throw off her charm. Not only that, but he had thought he could deny her. But it was too late for that. She had chosen him, likely the first of many, to be apart of her harem. He would help her save her species from extinction. The pain it would cause Moka was a bonus, and part of the reason she selected him to be first.

"I'm sorry Crona, but I can't wait for you to learn how to deal with it" she said softly, running a finger across Crona's cheek. The boy didn't respond, as everything but the most basic functions were practically shut off. She lifted him up again, his arms, which had so recently hugged her in a friendly embrace, slumping to his sides. "You are mine now Crona" she said with some sense of finality "And nothing is going to take you away from me" and with that she moved in for a kiss.

_**"Wanna bet, bitch?" **_

Kurumu's eyes snapped open as a pair of muscular hands wrapped around her throat. She was violently moved back from Crona, the hands never leaving her neck.

Her attacker was none other then Ragnorak. He was in his larger, more muscular form. The very form he'd had when he and his meister first met Moka and Soul.

_**"Surprised aren't you?" **_Ragnorak asked gleefully, as though he weren't choking the life from a someone. _**"I was never really under your control, I was just pretending." **_Ragnorak told her. It was partially true. As Crona's blood, his body, as well as his mind, were spread throughout the boy's body. When Kurumu had tried to **charm** him, he had pulled back his consciousness, leaving only a small portion of sentience behind. Just enough for Kurumu to think she had taken him over, when in reality she had only **charmed **a puppet.

_**"Ya see, me and Crona here are sorta supposed to keep a low profile around here" **_he told the girl, who was gripping his hands to keep them from crushing her windpipe. _**"That's why I decided to wait. I figured you might lead us somewhere private" **_he looked all around the room, nodding approvingly. He then glanced down at Crona, who was flopped on the bed unconscious. _**"You even took care of Crona for a while. He's always telling me to take it easy, and never let's me have any fun." **_he turned back to Kurumu, an evil looking grin spreading across his face. _**"Now that it's really just the two of us, I can draw on a little more power without anyone noticing." **_he flexed his muscles as he spoke. The best part was, if Lord Death questioned why he had done it, he could just claim it was in defense of Crona. Maybe the kid was good for something after all. That thought made Ragnorak frown, something odd on his face. _**"You tried to take control of me, something I cannot tolerate. Not only that, you did something equally terrible. You offered false friendship to me and Crona. Now I can take betrayal fine, I'm a tough guy. Crona though… not so much. He cherishes every friend, and for you to fake that… " **_he stared to apply more pressure _**"let's just say I'm gonna enjoy breaking you like a twig!" **_he finished. Inside, he nodded to himself. He had never given one of those heroic, emotional speeches. During his time Moka and her friends, it seemed like everybody gave at least one. Even Crona got one. He figured that now was as good a time as any for him to give one. Besides, nobody was around to prove he did it.

Kurumu was astounded by the aura of the being in front of her. She hadn't expected the little lecher to be so problematic, let alone this strong. She was actually a little impressed. The aura it was giving off as it strangled her was making it difficult to transform. Not impossible, just very slowly. She could only transform partially at this point. She was forced to sit through it's entire monologue before she could make a move. Thankfully, she knew how to make it count.

Suddenly, Ragnorak's body was pierced by ten thin looking blades. He had been taken by surprise, and was unable to thicken his body in time to prevent the cut. These blades were actually Kurumu's fingernails. Before Ragnorak could move to finish her off, she raked her nails through his form, slicing him into bits, and causing him to explode into a large mass of black blood. Kurumu jumped back to avoid being covered with the stuff, allowing it to fall onto Crona instead.

Being splashed, along with the fact that Kurumu had been somewhat distracted for a while, meant that Crona finally woke up. Shaking his head, he heard Ragnorak fill him in on the pertinent details. He felt sadness wash over him. So his second friend wasn't really his friend at all? Seeing Kurumu settle into what was likely a battle stance, he figured he could deal with that latter.

Kurumu growled "Why do you continue to deny me? After all I did?" Crona felt her wavelength grow with her rage. Her sweater's back burst as a pair of wings grew from it, and she was lifted off the floor. Behind her, her tail's point bobbed and weaved through the air like a snake waiting to strike. "Now I'm pissed!"

Crona was still out of it, and Ragnorak was trying to pull himself back together as quickly as possible. He was going to have to go on the defensive for a bit until he could figure out how to properly deal with this.

Kurumu spread her wings and made to spear Crona with her blade nails. As she did, Crona focused his wavelength on the pool of blood on the bed between him and her. As she was over it he cried "Bloody Needles!"

Suddenly, the pool of blood shot upwards, becoming razor sharp needles, and forcing Kurumu to make a tough dodge. She couldn't dodge all of it, but she managed to avoid getting a fatal implement. However, some needles did find their sweet spots. Kurumu got one in the knee cap, two in her wing, and one which got her right in the breast.

She jumped back as the needles which hadn't lodged in the ceiling turned in mid air and made another pass. She landed right in front of the door just as Moka burst in.

Moka came in to a bizarre sight. Kurumu in her released form. Crona with black blood all over a hospital bed. And some tiny needles whizzing around the room. She decided to take care of the most pressing concern first. Charging forward, she shoved Kurumu as hard as she could. With her vampiric strength, even sealed, she was able to hurl the surprised Succubus straight out the window.

Moka ran to the ruined window, trying to see where Kurumu fell. She turned to Crona "Run while there's still time, Crona!" she said fanatically.

Crona just blinked "Umm… Moka… what's going on?" he asked very confused. He got the feeling that there was more to this then he understood.

Moka's shoulder's slumped, and Crona wondered if it was something he had said "… I'm sorry you got wrapped up in it, Crona. That girl is a succubus." she told Crona "It seems she wants revenge on me, and in order to get it, she's targeted you, Crona!" she explained, making Crona's eyes go wide. He knew Kurumu was angry at him, and was trying to seduce him, but he had no idea it was because of Moka. Still… something told him there was more to it then that… or at least he hoped so. Really, to almost become a mindless slave over a high school tiff between girls would have been really stupid.

"To be thrown so far…. a vampire's power is really something" a voice sounded beyond the window. Crona and Moka looked and saw that Kurumu had flown back. And with more then enough room to spread her wings, she was moving quite gracefully. "Come down here, and I'll kill the both of you together!" she cried, brandishing her claws threateningly.

Moka looked close to panicking, but when she looked over at Crona, she saw his eyes were close, as if in deep thought.

Crona was actually checking on Ragnorak, making sure they had enough power to go through with his idea. _"Do you think we can pull it off?" _he asked.

_**"It'll be tricky" **_Ragnorak admitted _**"We've never tried doing it without human souls before. We'll have to rely solely on our wavelength." **_he told Crona.

_"Can we do that without moving past the current seal level" _he asked. What he really meant was: can we do it without alerting Lord Death?

_**"Maybe, but we'll need to be quick about it… " **_

Crona nodded his head and opened his eyes. They held a look of determination so strong, Kurumu actually flinched back. Moka had seen that look in his eyes before. It was the same look he got right before he beat Saizou to a pulp.

Kurumu was starting to get nervous the longer Crona stared at her. His wavelength was rising higher and higher. It had easily surpassed her's a while ago. She watched as Crona took a step toward her, his back hunched. She saw the black blood from around the room fly back into him, like metal to a magnet. Suddenly, his back and shoulders exploded, the blood flowing out and taking shape. One glob of blood flew to his hand, taking the shape of a sword. But two much larger masses of blood flowed out around Crona's shoulders. When Crona's aura died down, he was sporting a large pair of wings, both much bigger then her own.

Crona panted, this was much harder then it looked. The last time he had used the 'Black Dragon', he had absorbed an entire ship's worth of human souls. This time though, he didn't have that luxury, and had to sustain it on his own power. It wasn't a full version of the technique; only enough to give him a pair of wings. His attacks wouldn't be any stronger, nor would Ragnorak take on a dragon form. He would have to beat Kurumu quickly, because keeping himself aloft on a pair of wings made of blood wasn't easy; and plummeting to the ground from several stories up wasn't something he wanted to deal with.

Taking a few quick steps foreword and a flap of his large wings, and Crona was airborne and heading Kurumu's way. From there, the battle was on.

Kurumu was forced to duck and weave around Crona's blade strikes. He in turn, was forced to deflect her nails with his sword. Kurumu's skills in battle were nothing compared to Crona's, but she did have one major advantage: her speed. Crona's large dragon wings couldn't move him as fast as Kurumu's bat wings. Several times she had flown behind him to strike him, only for him to just barely dodge at the last minute.

It was three minutes in, and Crona could tell he wouldn't be airborne much longer. He was going to use one final attack, and then hope he had enough left in him to keep the wings up until he landed.

A flap of his wings put some distance between him and the exhausted Kurumu, who had taken to flying high above him. Kurumu may be tough, but she had never had to do any strenuous activity before. Raising the sword above his head, Crona channeled as much as he could afford into the attack. Taking careful aim, and with a muttered "Screech Alpha" that seemed to echo across the clearing, he let it fly.

Kurumu had no time to react as the wave of energy slammed into her like a freight train. It was all she could do to keep from blacking out. If Crona had been on the ground instead of in the air, he might of put more power behind it. Though if he had, they would have been cleaning Kurumu up with a towel.

Angling herself as she fell, she made sure to crash right into Crona. Using the last of her strength, she sliced off one of Crona's wings. This left the two teenagers plummeting to earth together.

Crona released his transformation, allowing Ragnorak to focus solely on hardening his body. By the time they hit the ground, his blood was so dense that he made a Crona shaped impression in the ground. Kurumu was not so lucky. She hit a tree as opposed to the ground, and proceeded to break through every branch on the way to the ground. It slowed her enough to save her life, by god did it hurt. The most painful blow came when she finally hit the ground. Kurumu landed chest first, allowing it to act as a sort of airbag. Unfortunately for the young succubus, one of Crona's blood needles was still sticking out from there. So when she hit the ground, it drove the pesky thing all the way into her breast.

Groaning, she rolled over on her side to see Crona dragging himself out of a hole. Moka rushed over to him, checking the boy to make sure he was okay. Surprisingly, he didn't seem to have a scratch on him. Kurumu didn't know that Ragnorak had already taken care of most of Crona's injuries. When Crona turned to face her, sword forming in his hand, she began to feel very afraid. She wanted to crawl away, but her body wouldn't obey.

Soon, Crona stood over her, Ragnorak raised high for the final blow. Kurumu closed her eyes tight, waiting for the end.

"Um… are you alright?" She heard Crona ask. Cracking open one eye she looked up to see him staring down at her with some concern.

Suddenly Ragnorak bloomed from his back _**"Idiot!" **_he said, giving Crona a good whack. _**"You're not supposed to care if she's alright! Now finish her already!" **_he demanded.

"But, I was just kinda wondering something about her." Crona said, rubbing the spot where his partner had hit him. He looked down at her expectingly.

"Wh-what do you want to know?" Kurumu asked, trying hard to keep her voice from faltering.

"Well, I know you told Moka you did this because you wanted revenge on her, but I can tell there's more too it then that. I just want to know… why? Why try to make someone, anyone, your slave like that?" he asked.

Kurumu sighed "Because I am a succubus" she said as though that would explain everything.

"Okay, but what does that mean exactly" Crona asked insistently.

"The succubi are a small race, and we are closer to extinction each year" she explained, fighting to keep her eyes from watering. "When we become of age, a succubi seek a 'destined encounter' among the men we tempt. In order to keep our small species from dying out, we must carefully pick just one man from out of many to be our destined one!" she told the silent pair of Crona and Moka, who stood just behind Crona.

Crona tilted his head as he tried to absorb this knew information. "So… you did all this because you were trying to find your 'destined one'?" he asked her, getting a solemn in return. "And you need a 'destined one' in order to help your people survive?" he asked, once again getting a nod.

"Okay then" he said, before swinging his sword down at her. Kurumu closed her eyes. Even after all that, she was going to die. She heard a noise right beside her, but felt nothing. Opening her eyes hesitantly, she saw that Crona had sunk the sword into the ground beside her, and was now offering her a hand to get back up.

_**"Crona, what do you think you are doing!" **_Ragnorak shouted. Moka stayed silent, though the look on her face told that she was in agreement with the little demon.

Crona looked distinctly uncomfortable "It's just… well.. I don't think that her intentions were entirely bad" he said in a rush. "She did what she felt she had to do in order to help out her family." he said, bowing his head, his hair obscuring his eyes. "It's amazing what terrible things a person will do for family" he muttered. Moka and Kurumu didn't really understand, but Ragnorak did. Crona was still hung up on some of the stuff he had done for his mother.

Crona looked back at Kurumu, and gave her one of his light smiles "I just can't see you as a bad person at heart, Kurumu." he said.

Kurumu couldn't believe it. This boy knew what she was, what she had planned to do and he was… okay with that?How? Why? These thoughts all past through her head as she saw Crona retract his hand after seeing she wasn't about to take it anytime soon. As he turned to face Moka, one question burned in her mind _"Just who are you Crona?" _

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

It wasn't until the next day that Moka finally got around to telling Crona some surprising news.

"The Rosary started talking to you?" he said, shocked. He hadn't thought that jewelry could actually talk. Then again, with everything he'd seen, should he really be surprised. He just hopped it didn't start talking to him. He wasn't sure how to deal with talking accessories.

Moka, unaware of Crona's growing fear of talkative neckwear, continued "Yeah, this time the voice ended up saving us, but…it's strange isn't it? Maybe the seal is weakening."

_**"Huh, so this thing told you we were in trouble huh? How did it know?" **_Ragnorak wondered, leaning in to get a better look at it (in reality he was just trying to look down Moka's shirt).

"Well, um, thanks I guess Moka's Rosary" Crona said, feeling weird about talking to Moka's chest.

The Rosary of course did not respond, which seemed to annoy Ragnorak _**"Hey, we just thanked you, the least you could do is say 'you're very welcome'" **_he yelled at the Rosary. Which maintained its silence _**"Dammit don't ignore! Answer me when I'm talking to you!" **_Ragnorak was working himself up into a fit over being ignored.

Luckily, Crona and Moka were able to mostly tune him out. "Hey" Moka said "If it comes to the point where the seal doesn't work anymore…" she blushed "Crona… you would still like me… right?" she asked hopefully.

"Of course Moka" Crona said. "Even if you are a little scary when you try to suck my blood, you'll always be my friend" He hoped it didn't come to that, but he would always stand by his friends, no matter what form they might take.

_**"That's it, it's one now you cheap costume jewelry!" **_Ragnorak roared in frustration. Reaching over Crona's shoulder, he got ready to pull off the Rosary. Just as his hand was about to touch it, the trio were interrupted.

"~Good morning~" a familiar voice rang out cheerfully. The three turned, the Rosary temporally forgotten, to see a bright and chipper Kurumu practically bouncing toward them.

"Kurumu! What now!" Moka cried out in surprise. She really wasn't happy to see the succubus, especially not with the way she was looking at Crona.

"Um… good morning Kurumu" Crona said, unsure what to say to the girl he had nearly killed the day before. He was pretty sure their brief friendship had ended after that, if it wasn't gone already what with the whole 'enslave you forever' thing.

But Kurumu seemed to be in too good a mood to be disturbed by the attitudes of Moka and Crona. Holding up her hands, the two could see a basket of cookies held in her hands. They were clearly fresh, with steam still rising off some of them. "Crona, I baked some cookies, won't you eat them with me?" she asked, a blush on her cheeks and an honest smile on her lips.

Crona blinked, he hadn't expected that "Huh? Why me?" he asked.

_**"Yeah, why him?" **_Ragnorak asked, annoyed at being left out.

Kurumu's faced flushed a brilliant red, and Moka could already tell she wasn't going to like the girls answer. "Well… remember when I said I was searching for my life's one and only destined one?" she asked coyly. She looked Crona in the eye, "I've decided… it's you and Ragnorak!" she said with finality.

"…." Crona stood pointing at himself, not able to believe what he'd heard. How was he supposed to deal with being a destined one? Even Ragnorak had been stunned to silence.

"The two of you together make the perfect match, you're everything I could want in a lover. You Crona, are kind and gentle, and you accept me for who I am. You're also somewhat submissive, so I could feel like I was the dominant one in the relationship." She turned to Ragnorak "And you Ragnorak…. you're kinda the opposite. You're passionate and rough, and you don't take crap from anyone! You'd also keep me grounded, and could help keep me in line from doing anything to crazy." Kurumu clasped her hands over her heart (which only sever to highlight her large breasts) and swayed as she entered her fantasy land. "The best part is that together, you influence each other, passing on your best traits." she took a step toward Crona and Ragnorak "When you take all that into account, is it any wonder I've totally fallen for you" she said, and you could practically see the hearts in her eyes.

Glancing sideways at Moka though, one could also see the lightning fly between them.

Ragnorak decided to speak up _**"Now hold on there girly, you can't just up and decided that we belong to together, we barely know you! Beside, what makes you think I'd want someone like you any-" **_he was cut off as Kurumu stepped foreword and shoved one of her cookies into his mouth.

Ragnorak stopped, chewing slowly. Everyone waited for what he had to say. He swallowed. He turned to face Crona _**"We may have to take her up on her offer" **_he told the boy seriously.

"…" said Crona

"…" said Moka

"…" said Kurumu

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Not long after the students at Youkai Academy were treated to an odd sight. Crona was running through the Academy. Now that wasn't that odd, it happened with surprising frequency. Even the fact that the strange little demon was poking out of his back was that unusual. He was followed immediately after by Moka Akashiya. Again, no surprise. She was followed by Kurumu Kurono, who was holding a basket of cookies. Now that was odd. That, and what they were saying made most everyone sweat-drop.

"Please hurry up and marry me!" Kurumu yelled, chasing her destined one, hoping to catch him before her competition did.

"Ooh, what are you saying Kurumu!" Moka asked incredulously. "Do something, Crona!" she yelled at him, wanting him to make this girl go away. For some reason, she didn't like the idea of this girl around her Crona at all. Wait, **her **Crona?

Ragnorak was busy trying to slow his meister down, but so far was having no luck at all. _**"Dammit Crona stop running! I want more cookies!" **_he cried out, reaching back toward Kurumu and her basket of treats, anime style tears falling down his face.

And then there was Crona, who was almost positive this had to be some sort of bizarre dream. "This is not normal! I don't know how to deal with all of this!" he called out to the heavens, as though something up there were responsible for his situation.

**End Chapter 2**

**Well, that was the end of another (hopefully) fine chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it, and if you did, please feel free to leave a review. I hope I handled the fight scene well, and properly explained Crona and Ragnorak's power. My reasoning behind the Black Dragon is that, they could always do it, it just takes a lot of energy to use without the help of human souls. **

**Now, with all said and done, it is time for me to get back to work. Once again, please review, and tell me what you think. **

**Until Next Time...  
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	3. Dealing with Mermaids

**Well, here we are again with Chapter 3! This story is getting some really positive reviews, and that makes me very happy. If anyone is curious about the status of this, or my other story: Naruto in Hell, please, check my Profile page. There you will see a little counter next to the upcoming chapter, which will tell you how close it is to being done. I really don't have much to say except, let's get to the reviews!: **

**NightmareSyndrom: Sorry, no spoilers. Lilith's Mirror? He he he... You'll see **

**WarmasterRevan: Thank you. Yeah, Crona has a lot of problems. Crona doesn't know a lot about 'love' or 'friendship', so he's prone to seeing them as being his friends, and fails to see the deeper emotion. Blame Medusa for her poor parenting skills. **

**pyromania101: Yeah, Ragnorak is great. Inner Moka? While not making a physical debut yet, she will have minor bits to play before hand. I'm still trying to think of a good time to let her out... **

**Baron von Nobody: Thanks. Yeah, I'd like for this to be different from the original Manga, and getting Crona's personality just right isn't always easy. Something planned for the girls I don't know what you mean (whistles innocently). The trouble with the fight scenes is not making Crona too powerful. At full strength, he could likely wipe the floor with most of the monsters from the Manga. That's why I try and restrict his power, so he never uses more then he needs, less he draw Lord Death's wrath. Ragnorak's character type seems to lend itself to funny moments, doesn't it? And sorry about the mistakes. I try to catch what I can, but by the time I have a chapter completed, I get so excited to publish it, that sometimes things slip through the cracks. I like Mizore too, her personality is kind of similar to Crona at times, isn't it? **

**snow299: You're welcome. **

**serpent 12186: I'm glad you loved it. Yeah, Kurumu isn't afraid to get handsy to get what she wants.**

**The anonymous reviewer who just left (): Thank you, and as to the rest, no comment. **

**Animeguy1101: Well here you go. **

**darkhero what must be done: Well actually, I think Moka's hair is a more vibrant shade of pink. Glad you liked it. The ending to this chapter is... not like the last chapter. **

**The Lord of Pages: Many thanks. **

**crona maka: thanks, I need a good reason to make Kurumu fall in love with him, glad it panned out. **

**RobbyTheRouge: Um, thank you. However, I'm afraid you're a few chapters early. That's chapter 5. Hope you like this one though. **

**Diablo20000300002002: Glad to hear it. Yeah, Crona will go through a lot before the end of this tale. A harem? We'll see. **

**Majin Hentai X: Crona does have some awesome powers. I myself wonder what Crona would be like if he became a kishin. **

**Druss the Legend: Glad you like it. His personality was one of the reasons I picked him for this crossover. Inner Moka will be revealed in time, but how and her reaction will stay a secret. Tamao... well, look, here's the thing. I do have a plan to add a girl that isn't canon, but she's not it. Tamao is attractive, but so are most of the girls in Rosario Vampire. Plus, if you'll notice, the ones who get added to the 'harem' tend to be relatively non-violent. Kurumu's only big threat was the whole 'mind control' thing. Moka's only out to suck Crona's blood. You see this in the manga as well with Tsukune. Yukari and Mizore were only threats to Tsukune and Moka, respectively; though if they'll be a part of Crona's group remains to be seen. So that's my criteria for entrance into Crona's circle. They can fight Crona, but they can't be genuinely evil. Most of the girls were spurred to action by loneliness, or a sense of responsibility in the case of Kurumu. So people like Tamao and the Hitomi (the art teacher) aren't getting in. I hope I have properly explained myself.**

**Now, enough about that, it's time to once again follow Crona into another terrifying day at Youaki Academy. So, without further delay, let's begin: **

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_**Chapter 3: Dealing With Mermaids****  
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Moka Akashiya looked lovingly into the eyes of Crona. She stood before him, unable to believe it was really happening for her. "It's… It's really alright? Crona…" she could hardly believe that the boy was offering himself to her.

"Y-yeah" he said, his voice stuttering a little. He had a deep blush across his face, but it was alright, so did she.

"I'm so happy, Crona…." she said moving her face closer to his.

"Moka" he said willing getting closer to her.

"It's… the first time, you know… " she whispered, close enough that she could feel his breath on her cheek.

"That you let me suck your blood!" she squealed happily, bitting into his neck. She sucked to her hearts content, drawing more and more of that superb nectar from within her friends body. Her arms were wrapped around him, pressing him to her. She did this for two reasons: 1) because the closeness made the taste all the better. 2) To keep him from running away before she was finished.

And she was so close too. It was a glorious buildup of pleasure, she just needed one more sip…

**RING**RING**

"GYAA!" Moka screamed as she was startled awake. Blinking her eyes confusedly, she took stock of her surroundings. It was early morning, time for her to get ready for the Academy.

She sighed in frustration. That meant that she hadn't been drinking Crona's blood. She'd been having that dream with increasing frequency. Crona had become better at avoiding her attempts, leaving her frustrated on many levels. Speaking of which…. Raising the sheets Moka could only sigh, a deep blush on her face. Crona's blood was so good, that it could affect her like that, even in her dreams.

Getting out of bed, Moka could only continue to hope that today would be the day. The day that she and Crona finally became close enough that would allow her to drink his blood without her having to sneak it.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Inside Youkai Academy, their teacher prepared to giver her students an important announcement.

"This Academy's goal is to train monsters to adapt to human society… just as I've been saying all along. So that means, starting today you're all going to take up club activities!" She said, unable to contain her enthusiasm.

The rest of the class was less then enthused. Crona was of course, freaking out. _"Club Activities? What does she mean by that? What will I have to do? I don't know if I know how to deal with something like Club Activities!" _he thought. So in general, it was a normal morning for Crona.

Either totally oblivious or just plain ignoring her student's lack of energy, Neko-sensei continued "We'll get a deeper understanding of humans by experiencing with human-made activities through some sweat in club activities!" She ranted, happily smacking her blackboard with a pointer "To transform into humans perfectly, we must have a clear understanding of humans!" she finished happily.

One of the students raised his hand "But…Sensei, wouldn't that give you an 'F' transforming then?" he asked innocently while pointing at her.

Looking down, Neko noted that her cat tail was poking out of her skirt again. Looking at it, she looked back at the student you pointed it out.

"Rawwr!" the next thing the poor boy knew, his cat teacher had clawed his face. "Understand?" Sensei asked, pretending she hadn't just mauled a student. "Everyone will participate in club activities! Everyone please visit a lot of groups and decide which one you want to enter! Be sure to visit the newspaper club that I'm the advisor for, ok!" she said cheerfully and shamelessly plugging her club.

After that Crona and Moka left to try and find a club that would be right for them. Or at the very least, one Crona could learn to deal with.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

The Club festival was super crowded with all sorts of booths, and large amounts of pushing shoving students. Crona was having major issues dealing with the whole thing, not sure how to deal with all of these people touching him as they bump and shoved their way past. Luckily Moka was there to take charge, pulling him by the hand through the crowd. Ragnorak helped as well, though he claimed it was for his own benefit. The demon had no problems using his strength to violently move people that invaded his personal space.

The clubs themselves were as varied as the students that attended the Academy. It seemed like every conceivable group had someone advertising there. "Hey Crona, what group should we enter?" Moka asked him. She was curious what he would say. If she could find out Crona's hobbies, maybe she could find a way to get closer to him?

"I don't know" came Crona's reply. He had never actually had any hobbies, and most of his talents came in the form of killing things in painful nasty ways. What sort of club could he possibly be expected to join.

Moka sighed internally, she should have known. "Anyway, it's still too early to decided. Let's visit a lot of clubs since they've gone to all this trouble!"

This was easier said then done however. Not only did they have to fight the crowds to get anywhere, but they also had to contend with Moka's army of fanboys. Everywhere they turned there seemed to be another batch of boys with the hots for Moka. They'd had to flee the 'phantom photography' club, when they'd asked to take nude shots of Moka. Then there was the chemistry club, which wanted to make magical love potions with her. Then the acupuncture and mummy clubs had chased them around for about ten minutes, thoroughly scaring Crona with their persistence. _"Don't they have any normal clubs?" _he wondered as he dejectedly followed Moka.

Finally, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a small booth. It didn't have a lot of people around it which surprised Crona. The booth had a simple message, and the girl behind the table looked friendly enough.

**Poetry Club**

The name set off a memory in Crona. It was after he had joined the DWMA for the first time. Maka had told him he could express his feelings by righting them down in the form of poetry. He hadn't thought he could do it, but he had tried anyway for Maka. His poem must have been good, because every time someone read it, they immediately went and sat in Mr. Corner to think. The poem must have made them want to do some deep thinking about their own lives and fears. Maybe this was the club for him?

Tugging at Moka's sleeve, he pointed out the booth. Moka raised an eyebrow, but smiled and happily followed Crona for a change to the nearly empty table.

"Hello, and welcome. Would you like to join the poetry club?" the girl asked. She looked normal enough, with brown hair and green eyes. She word simple blue jeans and a white shirt that said 'Poetry Club' in orange letters. The only unusual thing that tipped off she wasn't human was that her ears were slightly pointed, like an elf.

Crona nodded shyly, not sure how to deal with this. The girl just smiled and handed him and Moka a piece of paper. "That's great, not many people take an interest in the club." she told him. "As sort of a test for possible members, we ask them to write a poem in about five minutes. Then, we see what they come up with. We don't grade very harshly, but we do want to make sure that they at least understand what poetry is" the girl said.

Moka and Crona nodded, though Ragnorak rolled his eyes, uninterested in the dinky club. Taking offered pencils, the two began to write.

Five minutes passed quickly to Moka, who hadn't come up with much of anything. She was never good with words. She worried because whenever she glanced over at Crona, he seemed to be immersed in his work. What if he got into the club and she didn't? What would she do?

"Times up" the girl at the booth said. Moka wondered what her name was, she didn't seem to be wearing a name tag or anything.

Taking Moka's first, the girl scanned it. She looked up at Moka "It's okay, but it needs some serious work. If you join the club, we're going to have to teach you a thing or two. Now how about your's" she said to Crona. As she took his paper, the other members gathered around her. They had seen how hard Crona was working, and were curious about the outcome.

As one, they read what Crona had written….

…

…

…

As one, they put the paper down. They turned went over into the corner, and curled up into the fetal position.

"Life is meaningless" the girl that had taken their papers said.

"What am I doing with my life" another said.

"Why must I continue my miserable existence" one boy cried to the heavens.

From there, they all broke down into historical sobs. Everyone near them sweat-dropped at the sight. They were overreacting surely? Moka found herself morbidly curious what was written on the seemingly harmless piece of paper….

"So… did I get in?" Crona asked. He was oblivious to the psychological damage his poem had just caused the small club. He just assumed he had written another great poem. He had based it off his first one, but had added onto it, giving it a little more of that something special.

If Crona would have gotten into the club or not was never answered, as Ragnorak chose the time to speak up. _**"Enough of this girly poetry crap Crona, I see a real club right over there!" **_he said pointing widely to a point just out of sight behind a mass of boys.

"I don't see anything Ragnorak" Crona said, unable to see what his partner was talking about. This only annoyed Ragnorak though, who grabbed Crona by the nose and forced him in the direction he had been pointing.

_**"Come on you little weakling" **_

"B-But what about the Poetry Club?" Crona asked. He had actually been a little excited about joining that club.

_**"NO! We are not joining that sissy club!" **_Ragnorak said adamantly. The last thing he wanted to do was join a club where Crona caused everyone to become suicidal because of his damn poetry.

"Then, how about the swimming club?" A new voice asked, causing the trio to turn around. They hadn't even noticed that Ragnorak had lead them, literally by the nose, to the booth he had seen.

"I'm the Swimming Club Captain, Tamao Ichinose! Why don't we swim together?" the woman asked sensually. She was tall, about half a head above Crona. She had long sea green hair that looked damp. She wore a white button up shirt open. Underneath she was wearing what appeared to be a purple fish scale bikini top, which barely contained her sizable bust. Around her waist was a simple dress, which was colored light blue, and on her feet were simple beach sandals. Her yellow eyes gazed at them, as though trying to invite them closer. All and all, she was quite the looker, drawing boys to her like moths to a flame, though she only seemed to be looking at Crona.

The Swimming Club seemed to have dozens of girls similar to the captain. All around Crona guys were ogling the girls in bikinis, desperate to attract their notice.

Tamao stepped foreword and put her hands on Crona's cheeks, causing him to flinch backwards. Her hands were clammy and cold. Tamao raised an eyebrow at him, before resting her gaze on Ragnorak. "The Swimming Club is currently all female" she told the little demon "The ladies will end up paying lots of special attention to the boy who joins our club!" she told him batting her eyelashes.

Dozens of boys started declaring their desire to join the swim club right away. Crona personally wasn't that interest, and Moka didn't appear to enthused either. But Ragnorak… _**"Well, it seems like the Swimming Club is normal enough, come on Crona." **_he said, attempting to follow after the hoard of girls walking out toward what he assumed was the pool. Tamao was still there though, looking at their group expectantly.

"But we haven't finished looking at the other clubs yet" Crona said, trying to be civil. A futile strategy against one such as Ragnorak.

Ragnorak bopped him on the head, _**"Be quite Crona" **_he whispered angrily to Crona.

"But I don't even like swimming. In fact, I don't think we even know how to-"

He was interrupted when Ragnorak swiveled around and put Crona in a head lock. _**"Damn it Crona, don't ruin this for me! This is a chance to see some hot girls nearly nude, and I want to be there for that! Who knows, I might even be able to sweet talk some action for us, but I can't do that if you puss out on me! So we are going to that pool, and we are going to have a good time!" **_he ranted at Crona. By the end, Crona and Moka both had blushes on their faces, though Tamao just looked slightly bemused by the little creature. If she was offended at all, she certainly didn't show it.

So, after having said his piece, Ragnorak let go of Crona. Throughly cowed, the demon meister and his vampire friend followed meekly.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

The pool was a flurry of activity when Crona's group arrived. The Swim girls discarded what little clothing they had on as soon as they got there, showing off super revealing swim suits. They all called to the boys to join them, offering spare swimsuits for those in needs. From there, they either lounged around showing off their bodies, or were enticing men into the water.

Everyone appeared to be having a good time, except for Crona and Moka. Tamao had left after they got there, saying she had business to attend to. Ragnorak was busy admiring all the beautiful women around him, looking like a kid in a candy shop. Moka was looking at the water like it was tub of acid. Crona had placed both hands over his eyes, his face flushed violently red. He had never seen so many attractive girls in such a state of undress, that his mind had overheated from trying to figure out how he was supposed to deal with all this.

"Umm," Moka said, stepping closer to Crona "Crona, Ragnorak, I…. don't really like swimming!" she said slow at first but finished in a rush. Crona let out a sigh of relief. He turned to her "oh thank goodness, I though I was the only one" he told her. Ragnorak just looked at her annoyed, his dream of seeing her in a skimpy swimsuit shattered.

"What are you still doing over here?" Tamao asked, as she jogged up with two other girls. "Hurry up and come swim with us!" Tamao begged playfully flinging herself onto Crona. Crona's blush got deeper, if that was possible, as the captain held him tight, two soft things pressing against his arm.

"Captain!" Moka squeaked, not pleased with the way the other girl was clinging to a clearly uncomfortable Crona.

"Oh, this one is so cute!" one of the other girls Tamao brought with her said.

"Take it off! Take it off!" the other one joined in. They moved toward Crona, a boy's swimsuit in their hands, and their intentions became clear.

"Wait a second!" Crona called as the girls started to grasp at his cloths.

Knowing that if the girls starting trying to undress Crona he'd have a situation on his hands, Ragnorak intervened. _**"Ladies, ladies" **_he said, getting their attention_** "Allow me" **_he told them. Grabbing Crona by the ears, he steered the rightfully upset boy behind one of the thick bushes that surrounded the pool. Pushing Crona into one of the bushes, the girls were treated to the sound of panic and fists meeting skin. Cloths were randomly thrown out of the bush, which was always followed by more panicked shouts on Crona's part, about how he couldn't deal with out a shirt, his pants, etc.

Then, as suddenly as it started, it stopped. Then, a confused looking Crona stepped out of the bush, decked out in a new outfit. It was like a diver's suit, and was very similar to what Crona had worn before Youkai Academy. It was solid black, and covered from his neck to his ankles. This was one of the few times Ragnorak was willing to compromise with Crona. It was covering enough to not upset Crona, but still technically a swimsuit, so Ragnorak could still be with the hot babes.

While all this had been going on, Tamao turned to face Moka, sizing her up. "So you're the rumored Moka Akashiya" she said, clearly unimpressed "Rumors say that you're a vampire, I wonder if it's true?" She shrugged "Well… anyway, this is a swimming club. If you have no intention to swim, then why don't you leave!" she said forcefully, though her face never changed expressions. She stepped away just as Crona came out of the bush.

**10 Minutes Later…..**

Moka sat at one of the tables beside the pool, watching an interesting scene take place. Crona nearly had been forced into the pool when the secret got out: Neither Crona nor Ragnorak could swim. There had apparently never been any call for it where he was from, so he had never learned. Tamao had solved this problem by offering to teach them, something Ragnorak was quick to agree to.

But once in the water, a new problem arose. Crona's black blood was apparently so dense, that wearing a suit made of it was akin to swimming while wearing a suit of armor. As soon as he got in the water, Crona had sunk straight to he bottom, and it took Tamao and too other girls to pull him back to the surface. Crona had been clinging to the wall since then. But even after all this, Ragnorak would not be deterred. He insisted that Crona toughen up and stay in the pool.

This lead to what Moka was watching right now. Tamao was trying to teach them the breast stroke. Apparently literally, because she kept sticking Ragnorak's hands (Crona's were busy clinging to the wall) into her breasts to show the motions. But Crona refused to leave the safety of the wall, and Ragnorak could only stretch from Crona so far. Tamao was clearly trying to provoke some kind of reaction out of Crona, because she kept trying to cuddle up to him. Was she another girl trying to seduce him? Moka didn't know, but it didn't seem to matter. Crona had his eyes shut tight and was too afraid of drowning to notice the girl pressing her breasts into his back.

He also seemed to be attracting a lot of attention from the rest of the pool goers. The boys, smitten by Tamao's charm, instantly grew jealous at the sight of her cuddling up so close to Crona. The other girls in the pool had a different reaction. They looked at Crona with something akin to awe. Here was boy, surrounded by beautiful girls, and he hadn't done anything perverse. Even though the creature on his back was acting like a lustful dog to Tamao, Crona was not, so they didn't judge the pink haired boy. They soon grew jealous of Tamao for snagging such a sweet guy.

Frankly, it was an odd experience of Crona. Being hated and loved at the same time? How on earth was he supposed to deal with something like that?

Tamao looked up from her spot by Crona's side to see Moka staring at her angrily. She smirked. No matter what the little vampire girl may wish, as long as Crona was in her territory, she wasn't about to lose to Moka.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

"Hey, by the way, did you hear! There's a rumor that Moka Akashiya might join the swimming club!" a random boy student said to his friend.

As the two boys continued their discussions about Moka in a swimsuit, they passed right by Kurumu, allowing her to hear everything.

_"Moka in the swimming club?" _she thought to herself, nibbling on one of her cookies. _"I wonder if that means Crona will join the swimming club too?"_ as she pondered this, she felt her heart quicken at the thought of her Destined One. _"After all, they're probably going to do something together!" _Oh, why couldn't she have met Crona first instead of that stupid Moka!

"I'm not going to lose to Moka Akashiya" she said, turning and heading back to her dorm run, determined to find her sexiest swimwear "Because I'm going to make sure I join the same club as Crona too!"

She stopped her march to her room as a thought popped into her head "Huh… But isn't that strange? I though vampires and water…." oh well, maybe she was over thinking it. She had no time to waste, she had to get to her destined one right away!

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Moka could feel her self restraint cracking like a dam. The tick mark that had appeared on her forehead some time a go had grown and multiplied several fold. Seeing that girl, hold Crona, trying to pull him to her, smiling at him! OH! She couldn't take it anymore!

"Stop it already! When it comes down to it, you just wanted to join the swimming club because you wanted to get close to girls didn't you Ragnorak!" she yelled at them.

Crona looked frantic, but Ragnorak just raised a semi-nonexistent eyebrow at her, as if to say 'no duh'. Moka then focused her gaze on Crona. She could never be mad at him, but right now she was certainly frustrated "Crona, I've had enough! I'm leaving! Come and find me when you've gotten Ragnorak under control." she said. Then she turned and walked off in a huff.

"Wait, Moka, this is a misunderstanding!" Crona called after her, even though he knew his statement wasn't true. Moka had hit the nail on the head. Ragnorak had forced them here just so he could get close to pretty girls. And he was powerless to ignore Ragnorak, no matter how much he wanted too. And now Moka was mad because he wasn't hanging out with her.

Moka stopped and took a deep breath. She didn't want to leave Crona thinking she was mad at **him**. Turning around she faced the nervous looking boy "Crona… the truth is, I-"

By Moka was cut off when water from the pool splashed up and made contact with Moka's skin. She flinched back violently from it, as though it stung her. Tamao just shook her head at Moka "Though you're free to visit, fighting is such an ugly sight! And it looks so childish… whether you understand each other or not… how petty!" Tamao declared. Crona frowned. Moka looked like she was about to tell him something important, and he didn't think that was at all petty. "Between a man and a woman, the important part is finding out if you've had your heart stolen or vice versa!" she told the two, Ragnorak not included because he was busy staring at her cleavage. Frankly, Crona found that last statement to be a bit odd… what did hearts have to do with this? Moka wasn't upset because she had feeling for him right? It was because they were friends, and she wanted them to do something together… right?

He looked over at Moka, who was busy trying to shake the water off her. "Water…." her voice sounded pained, like someone had struck her a physical blow. Turning, she ran away as fast as her legs would carry her.

"Moka!" Crona called after her, preparing to exit the pool.

"No, wait Crona, wait there!" she called back, confusing him. Hadn't she wanted him to go with her? He tried to exit the pool, but found that Ragnorak was stubbornly clinging to Tamao, refusing to leave.

Tamao had a rather unpleasant smirk on her face "So the rumor was true…" she trailed off, but suddenly she seemed less attractive to Crona. Now if only he could get Ragnorak to feel the same way…

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Moka stumbled into an alleyway, before collapsing against the wall in pain. She slid to the ground, breathing heavily.

_"You fool!" _there was the voice from the Rosary again. Only this time it sounded quite upset. _"Why were you so close to something like a pool!" _it reprimanded her, but continued before Moka could come up with a suitable answer _"Of course this would happen if water splashed on you! Water resists supernatural energy; as the power drains out, your body will be become paralyzed! Water is the weak point of vampires!" _the Rosary said, it's tone indicating it couldn't believe it was having to explain something all vampires should know by heart!

Moka wrapped her arms around herself, trying to block out the pain _"I, too, inhabit this body, so put an end to such reckless behavior! Do not let the likes of Crona or Ragnorak make you do such things!"_

Moka frowned. She didn't like her Rosary talking about Crona. "No… No!" she said more forcefully, ignoring the pain.

_"What?" _the Rosary replied, not sure it had heard her right.

I'm sick of this body! Why can't I be like everyone else?" Moka asked, as tears started to roll down her cheeks. "I'm weird! I want to swim with Crona too…" she trailed off, expecting the Rosary to say something too her, but it remained silent. "I wish I could be with Crona too…" she said to herself, longing to feel him wrap his arms around her.

Suddenly, from deep insider her, Moka felt something stirring. The feeling seemed to come from her heart, and soon brought her comfort. It wasn't much, but Moka did feel a little better, though she didn't know how or why. The feeling was odd; so foreign, but oh so very familiar….

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Crona frowned as he looked out over the pool full of laughing teens. He didn't want to be here anymore. And not just because he didn't know how to deal with it, but because it just didn't seem like the place he should be.

He turned to Tamao, who was conversing with Ragnorak, and entered their conversation. "Um… Tamao, I…" he hesitated, not wanting to sound rude "I'm sorry, but I don't want to stay in the swimming club…" he trailed off, not giving the reason. If his friends weren't there with him, there was nothing there for him. Who was he gonna enjoy it with? Ragnorak?

_**"What! Crona what are you talking about! I want to stay here and play with Tamao's boo- "**_

Crona cut him off by raising his hand. Ragnorak stopped out of sheer surprise. It was a rare thing for Crona to stand up to him. "I'm sorry Ragnorak, but I've made my decision. Besides, nothing will change the fact that we won't be able to swim effectively like Tamao wants us too, so we're just wasting her time as much as ours." he looked at Tamao, who was shaking her head with a bemused expression on her face.

"What are you talking about you silly boy?" Tamao asked with the tone one might use to address a baby. Hadn't she heard him? Maybe she couldn't hear properly? How would he deal with her if she couldn't hear properly? "And just when I finally chased off that bothersome Moka!" Now that statement stopped Crona and Ragnorak. "Isn't the fun just beginning?" she asked him. Crona and Ragnorak shared a look… looks like they were about to be in for another fight.

"Didn't I say it clearly?" Tamao asked them. The demon meister and his sword watched as Tamao started to transform. Her fingers became clawed, and her hands became webbed. Actual scales were starting to grow on her. "Either you have your heart stolen, or you steal their's!" Tamao's voice became colder and more malicious, as she narrowed her eyes at them.

"Help! Stop it, why are you suddenly coming after me!" Crona turned his head at the cry for help, and saw a horrible sight: Two girls chased down a frantic boy, who was the one calling for help. When they were nearly on top of him, they proceeded to **bite** him with teeth that had suddenly become like shark teeth. Crona watched in horror as the boys seemed to age right before his eyes. In seconds, the once teenage boy had become an emaciated old man. A second later he died, his entire body collapsed into dust, and the two girls swam away.

"Wha… what is going on! Why did they kill that guy!" Crona asked. Hearing a splash, he turned and saw Tamao diving under the water. Only now, instead of legs, Tamao's entire lower body had become like a fish!

"Don't think to badly of us!" Tamao said, her voice seeming to come from the water all around Crona "Luring men into the water and sucking their life energy…" she chuckled "This is simply our natural way of life" she told Crona. She leapt from the water, showing her whole body at once. While her bottom half was a fish, her top seemed to have remained normal, save for some fin-like protrusions where her ears had been. That was when Crona realized he was dealing with a bunch of mermaids.

All around the pool boys were desperately trying to flee for their very lives. But no matter how fast they swam, the mermaids had the home advantage. It became a feeding frenzy as dozens of boys were caught, drained, and killed.

"Oh man, are mermaids really this scary! How am I supposed to deal with that?" Crona wondered aloud as he tried to pull himself from the pool.

"No need to panic, it's just fine" Tamao said, grabbing him by the waist and pulling him back into the water with surprising strength. Ragnorak tried punching her but she spun Crona around and slammed his back into the side of the pool, dispelling Ragnorak. "You're special Crona!" She told him as she ran one of her slimy fish fingered hands down the side of his face "The truth is, I've had my eyes set on you since the entrance ceremony" she was getting uncomfortably close. And unlike with Moka, Crona had the feeling he wouldn't survive a 'love bite' from Tamao. "Ever since then, I've spent all my time dreaming about you! It's just, you see… " Tamao's jaw's started to open wider, her teeth pointed like a shark "You have such a yummy smelling aura, Crona! Like nothing I've ever experienced before… it's been driving me mad!" Tamao's jaws split open, her whole mouth larger then Crona's head! "I've always wanted to eat you up!" Tamao screamed, her voice laced with hunger and madness.

"Crona!" Tamao and Crona turned to see Moka running toward the pool as fast as she could. "Crona, what's going on!" she asked desperately. Crona didn't answer, feeling that explanations were likely best saved for later.

Tamao growled "What, are you back here again? Don't get in my way!" she yelled warningly "Not that you could! You're nothing but a worthless monster that can't even swim" she sneered. Crona felt his fear giving way to anger. No one called one of his friends worthless. But wait… can't swim? Moka couldn't swim either? Why hadn't she said anything?

"I'm right aren't I?" Tamao gloated "It's a well known story! There's you can do, is there? Water hater!" she called out with a laugh, pulling Crona closer to her and farther from the safety of dry land. Luckily, he felt Ragnorak form and grasp onto the wall, in case Crona got dropped below the water. "Pitiful! At least watch quietly from over there…" she was cut off as Moka proceeded to do the one thing that everyone knew shouldn't happen: dive into water.

_"Don't be a fool!" _the Rosary called out to her in shock, but she ignored it.

"No!" Crona cried, fearing for his friends safety, but she ignored him too. Crona had saved her twice already, and she wanted to repay him.

As she was submerged in the water, arch of deadly electricity spread across the pool like someone had dropped a live wire into it. But for some reason, no one was affected. Except for Moka.

"What is this? Moka? What is going on?" Crona cried, having trouble handling all that was going on at the same time.

"What's going on?" someone repeated his question "Why did Moka jump into the water?" Crona turned Kurumu standing there.

"Kurumu?" Crona cried, happy to see a familiar face, one who hopefully could tell him what the hell was going on with the weird lightning! He didn't know how to handle weird lightning!

"Crona! Are you okay?" Kurumu asked running toward him. She had come with hopes to impress Crona with one of her swimsuits, only to find this catastrophe! She hadn't even had time to change!

She shook her head, she had to focus! "If we don't hurry and save Moka, she's gonna die!" she told Crona, whose eyes widened in shock, as did Ragnorak's. Seeing there surprise, the young succubus elaborated "Don't you know! Vampires can't go into the water! Because water drains a vampire's energy!" she explained quickly. She looked at the point where the lighting was spewing from "Is she nuts, jumping into the water like that?" she asked allowed.

Ragnorak and Crona concentrated on their link with each other as they tried to figure out how to save their friend. Ragnorak was actually feeling a little bad. He didn't know that about Moka. He didn't want the crybaby to die! She was one of the few people to offer unconditional friendship… and she gave him candy! He couldn't let her die! Oh, and there was the whole, 'friends with Crona' thing to he supposed.

Crona steeled himself, because he only had one idea, and he knew Ragnorak wasn't going to like it. Using all of his strength, he pushed off from the wall down into the water. They reached the bottom quickly, their heavy density dragging them like they had a cannon ball around their waist.

At the bottom was Moka, her eyes closed, electric sparks dancing around her. Grabbing her, Crona knew there was no way he could swim back to the surface with her. Nodding to Ragnorak, they both began to channel their wavelengths.

Up above, Kurumu and Tamao watched where Crona had dived under. Kurumu's head jerked up as she felt Crona's familiar aura rising. Something insider her told her to be ready for something, but she didn't know what. Then, the water burst up, as the unconscious form of Moka was thrown clear out of the pool. Kurumu seemed to know what she had to do: catch Moka, and get her away from the water.

Tamao stared at the water in shock. "No… this overwhelming feeling. What can that boy possibly be in his true form…?" she wondered, something she actually shared in common with the succubus and knocked out vampire.

Tamao hardened her features, but you could see the nervousness in her eyes. "Either way, that Moka girl is out of the picture for now." She snapped her fingers and called her fellow mermaids to her. Looking down through the water, she saw Crona still there "I had my eyes set on you Crona, and I'm never going to give you up!" she cried out. As one, the school of mermaids dived under heading for Crona.

Underwater, Crona found himself under attack by the girls, and wasn't able to do much. Tamao hung back, mocking him "I don't care how strong you are! In our territory, a mermaid will always be victorious!" and Crona could understand how she felt that way.

But clearly the mermaids had never gone against something like the black blood. They would swim past him, swiping at him as they did, a method quite similar to sharks. Only to find that their attacks had failed to penetrate his wet suit! Some of them even broke their fingers trying to get at him. When they tried to target his exposed face, Ragnorak was there to deal them a hearty punch to the face.

But it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows. Crona wasn't used to moving under such great pressure, and he was rapidly running out of air. He had to think of something and fast… well, he did have one idea… an idea for an attack he had never had the chance to try out….

_**"If you're gonna do something, now would be the time!" **_Ragnorak reminded him over the mental link.

Crona nodded his head, ducking as Mermaid tried to decapitate him. Sending his idea to Ragnorak, they began their all or nothing gambit.

Up on the surface, Kurumu felt Crona's aura again, but it was rising! Soon, it was where it had been when he fought her! That feeling inside her told her she needed to get away from the pool. And not just form Moka, she needed to get as far away from the pool **right now**! Grabbing Moka by the shoulders she dragged the other girl none to softly away from the sight of the aura.

Underwater, the mermaids were circling Crona warily. They knew he would pass out soon, and then he would be there's! Seeing the demon on his back drawn back into the boy, they thought he was fading, and prepared to assault him. Just as they were about to charge, they noticed something: mouths had appeared all over Crona's body. They were on his chest, his back, his arms, everywhere. The largest was on his chest, being nearly as large as his torso. The rest were of varying sizes, but each one was stretched into a hideous grin.

"Screech…" Crona mumbled, his voice strained against the water. The mouths all seemed to clench up, as though waiting for some as yet unspoken command "Zeta!" Crona called out, just before all hell broke loose.

On the surface, it would appear as though a depth charge had gone off. No, more like a half dozen or so depth charges. The cement walls of the pool cracked and shattered. Kurumu, even though she was far away, was bowled over. All the water in the pool was blown sky high, along with the bodies of several mermaids. They landed in heaps, their bones broken both by the fall and sheer pressure put off by the attack.

Crona crawled out of the wreckage of the pool, just as the water fell down from the sky like rain. He had to admit, he hadn't thought the attack would work so well. The idea was to send a powerful sound wave in every direction at once, hitting multiple targets. He hadn't expected that water would transmit sound waves as well if not better than air. Looking around him, he saw that one of the mermaids was absent: Tamao. Somehow, she had slipped off without him noticing. Crona frowned; she was the ringleader, so she was the one he wanted to have a word with.

He didn't know that, being farthest from him when the blast went off, she wouldn't be near the others when she landed. She had landed in a bush, the one Ragnorak had used to change, and stayed their hidden. Like all good leaders, she knew when to cut her loses. But before she lost consciousness, she swore she would have revenge on that dreadful Crona!

Seeing Kurumu run toward him, he put thoughts of Tamao out of his mind… for now. He and Ragnorak gladly excepted her praises as they went to check on their other friend. Moka was still unconscious, so she would have to be taken to the school nurse. Crona felt bad. If he had known about Moka's weakness to water, he never would have allowed them to be dragged to the pool.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

The next day, Moka didn't come to class. Crona was growing more and more worried about her. If she died, he would never be able to deal with it.

For the next three days, Crona and Ragnorak spent most of their time with Kurumu. Crona had gone to see Moka when he could. But Ragnorak and Kurumu both agreed there was nothing he could do for his friend, so they had to keep him occupied. Kurumu was secretly happy about that. Her friendship with Crona had grown, and she felt she knew him at least as well as Moka did. Ragnorak appreciated the chance to be near a hot girl that wouldn't try to kill him. Crona was just glad that he had a friend there for him while they waited for another friend to heal.

On the third day, he was approached by Neko-sensei. "Just the person I wanted to talk to!" she said, her bouncy personality ever in place. "Have you decided which club you're going to join?" she asked him "The only ones who haven't decided yet are you and Moka!" she informed him.

Sadly, Crona was stuck there. He had tried to find the poetry group again, but for some reason had a great deal of difficulty, almost like they were avoiding him. When he had finally caught up to them to ask about joining, he received some sad knows. Apparently, after they left, a lot of other people had suddenly joined up all at once. So many, in fact, that they simply had no room left at all. They were very sorry, and they hopped he understood. Crona did, of course, after all, Poetry was very therapeutic. He wondered where the poem he had written for them had gotten to anyway? Hmm….

Realizing he was just staining their in front of a concerned looking Neko-sensei, he admitted "No, I haven't yet Neko-sensei" he told her.

The cat woman seemed to brighten up at that "Splendid! Then I wonder if you both wouldn't mind joining my club? The Newspaper Club… well, nobody has joined yet, and it might get shut down!" she told him. Crona nodded, it wasn't like he had anything else to join. Though, if Kurumu and Moka weren't there, he doubted he'd have much fun.

"Thats' great, I'll join that club!" a peppy voice said. Turning, Crona was pleasantly surprised to see Moka standing there, looking like nothing at all had happened to her. She waved enthusiastically to him "Good morning Crona!"

"Moka!" Crona said running to her. "I wasn't sure if you'd come back again… I wasn't sure how to deal with one of my friends being gone…" he trailed off, not sure how to express his happiness at her return.

"I kinda slept the whole time for rejuvenation" she admitted sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head in embarrassment at having slept for nearly four whole days. Crona didn't care though, he was just glad his friend was back. It wasn't the same without seeing the smile that adorned her face.

"Then the two of you have decided on the newspaper club right?" Neko-sensei said, her tail wagging rapidly in pleasure.

"I'm also joining!" Kurumu said, dropping down from one of the upper floors, inadvertently giving Crona a view of her panties, causing him to blush furiously.

"Kurumu!" Moka said, not sure how she felt about her rival joining the same club as Crona.

"We'll all be together again… I like that" Crona said shyly, one of his small smiles on his face. He looked at both girls, and was once more glad to have such great friends.

But it was in the back of his mind that he recalled something important. Something he had allowed to slip by while he waited for Moka to return. Now that she had, it was time for Crona to act.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Tamao walked to her dorm building slowly, her legs still sore even after all the time since the 'incident' as the other mermaids had dubbed it. Most had suffered several injuries, and she herself had a broken arm. Not a day went by that she didn't curse that pink haired boy. She had brought up the possibility of revenge to the others, only to be shot down. They were now all afraid of the boy, whatever he was. They reasoned that any creature capable of what he did was not someone they wanted to mess with. They wanted to just avoid him, and pray he didn't hunt them down. The others began to avoid her, fearing that, as the instigator, he would likely target her first, and they had no wish to be caught in the crossfire.

What nonsense. Tamao knew Crona was willing to fight when he or his friends were in immediate danger, but she somehow doubted he'd come after her…"

"Tamao Ichinose!" a voice called. Tamao turned to face the one who called her, her mind not picking up on the owner of the voice before it was too late.

A black sword screamed out of the Academy fog, hitting her right in the stomach. It had been thrown with such force that she was sent hurtling backwards into one of the many trees on the grounds. The blade pinned her there, rendering her immobile. It wasn't exactly necessary, as with the wound inflicted on her, it wasn't like she was going anywhere fast.

Crona stepped from out of the fog, a hard glare on his face. The fearful boy that she had almost killed was gone, replaced by a determined looking young man.

"Tamao Ichinose, you have left the path light. Because of you, many innocent people died." he said, his eyes cold. Tamao tried to speak up, tried to think up something she could say to save her life, but it was impossible. When she opened her mouth, all she could do was spit blood, the red liquid dribbling down her chin.

Crona gripped the blade, but hesitated, giving Tamao a sense of hope. "Are you sure we should be doing this? Won't Lord Death be angry?" he asked. Tamao was confused, until she saw the blade grow a mouth and begin to speak in the voice of the little demon she'd seen with him.

_**"Oh course this is okay!" **_Ragnorak said. _**"Think about it Crona; you want to go back to the DWMA right?" **_he asked, getting a nod from Crona. It was true. Despite all the new friends he had made here, he still longed to be with his first friend. _**"Well, if you start showing some responsibility, maybe Lord Death will take notice and let you come back earlier. And what better way then to emulate his meisters. We'll hunt down the truly evil souls at this Academy, and stop them from becoming a real threat" **_Ragnorak explained slowly.

Crona frowned. That all sounded right, but he still wasn't sure. Would Lord Death want him to start hunting again? He would be killing the right people this time, not innocents, so that had to count for something right? What would Maka say if she was here right now? Would she pass judgement on this girl? "But are you sure we need to kill her?" he asked.

Ragnorak growled in frustration _**"Crona, because of her, a lot of people died today! She was the mermaids ringleader, and they all killed people in cold blood!" **_he said impatiently.

Crona opened his mouth, but closed it again. He had wondered if it was like Moka, where the Mermaids needed to drain people to survive, so he had asked around. It turned out, that the school provided for each type of monsters various needs. He had actually seen Moka drink from blood packs provided by the Academy, so he assumed the same was likely true for Mermaids. But that meant that they had indeed willfully and maliciously, killed several students.

"You're right" he said lowering his head. "Let's do this" he tightened the grip on Ragnorak.

Tamao wasn't sure exactly what was going on, but she knew her fate had just been decided for her. She tried to struggle against her bindings, but with only one working arm there wasn't much she could do. She had lashed out with her good arm, only for Crona's iron like skin to nearly break her hand. Ragnorak opened his mouth on the sword, and issued a soul piercing scream, causing the blade to vibrate in her, sending new waves of agony racing through her.

But over the screams, both from Ragnorak and herself, she could still hear Crona's final words to her "Tamao Ichinose… Your soul is mine!" and with a single gesture, the blade tore upward, splitting the mermaid in half. Her screams were silenced as her body dissolved into nothingness, leaving only her soul behind.

Crona was curious what a monster soul would look like. Witch's souls were purple, normal souls were blue, and Kishin eggs (the souls of the wicked) were red. It turned out that Tamao's soul was a vibrant green, with a red tinge. Crona wondered if that was for all monsters, or just mermaids. He shrugged internally, it wasn't like it really mattered. What mattered was that he now had a mission. Something he was sure would speed up Lord Death's trust in him. He would be the protector of Youkai Academy, and collect the souls of wicked monsters. Who knew, maybe he'd even make Ragnorak into a death scythe? What would Maka say then?

Then, as Ragnorak reached out and swallowed Tamao's soul, it hit him. This was an enormous responsibility he had just taken on. He was going to have to face even more horrible monsters! What if they were even scarier then the mermaids? Oh, why had he let Ragnorak trick him into such a task? He really didn't know how he was going to deal with all this!

**End Chapter 3**

**And so ends the third chapter. I hope everyone enjoyed it, and if you did, please review. I noticed this chapter was a little shorter then the other ones, but I don't think the content was any worse for it.  
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**In this chapter I invented a new attack for Crona. Why, because all the attacks he already had were either not meant to hit multiple targets, or could not be used at his current permitted level without alerting Lord Death. I hope nobody minds that, and if you do... sorry? This chapter ended on a more serious note then the other two, but there was a reason. I wanted a chance to show off Crona's more serious side, the side that will go to great lengths to help his friends. Will the swallowing of a monster soul have any effect on Crona and Ragnorak? Maybe... **

**Now, with all said and done, I once again ask you to please review if you liked it. Remember to check out my Author's Profile page for information on upcoming chapters. **

**Until Next Time...  
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	4. Dealing with a Werewolf

**Hello, my freaky darlings, it's me Scarecrow! How have you all been? My last couple of weeks have been very hectic, and finding time to write was difficult at times. Thankfully, I now have a great deal of free time on my hands, so my writing speed should pick up. For those who are curious, I finally broke my writer's block on Naruto In Hell, and plan on completing more of the chapter soon. **

**A lot of people have favorited this, and put it on alert, which I am very grateful for. You know who you are. Last chapter also sparked some interesting comments from some of you, which I will address below. That said, let's answer some reviews, shall we?**

**RobbyTheRouge: I haven't actually decided yet if Lord Death will approve of Crona's actions, we'll just have to see. With the way Youkai Academy is portrayed, I'm not sure students going missing will attract a lot of attention, until it's too late to do anything. How will his friends react? Well...**

**Clemeral: Thank you, and yes you can, just please site your source. **

**The Lord Of Pages: I have an idea for Screech Omega, but it won't come into play for a while. Crona's ideas about justice are somewhat askew, but that's due mostly to his upbringing, as well as his relationship with various characters. Generally, Crona will simply have to ask himself 'What would Maka do?' when he wonders if he's doing the right thing. Ragnarok is another thing to be factored in, but I won't go into that right now.**

**(): Thank you. **

**pyromania101: Oh, the police force won't find out for a while... if they ever do. Moka? That's answered this chapter. Inner Moka, not for a few more chapters I'm afraid. **

**NightmareSyndrom: Yeah, it seems doubtful he'd get the chance, but don't count the poetry element out of the story just yet... **

**byebye360: Yup, it makes writing comedic portions much easier. **

**Druss the Legend: Thanks, I didn't want to follow the story to the letter the whole way through. I won't comment on the possible conflict with the harem it might cause, but I will say this Inner Moka will not be a Crona fan. That's all I'm saying. **

**Feldoran: Thank you. **

**Ultimate-Zelda-Fan: Yes, to my ultimate shame, I found out I was spelling his name wrong this whole time. I honestly thought it was spelled Ragnorak, as opposed to the correct spelling Ragnarok. I have fixed that this chapter, and after this, I will be going back to edit the earlier chapters. Also, addressing what you said about what moves Crona could use... I may write things in that make that statement untrue. You never know when you might need a little extra fire power...  
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**Majin Hentai X: Oh yeah, the monsters at Youkai Academy had better watch their step. Also "Zebra beats out Crona in sound power"? I have no idea what that means. Sorry. **

**Dragonssmith: I'm glad you've enjoyed it, and I hope you continue to do so. I will be going back later and trying to edit out my grammatical mistakes. Thanks for the flattery. **

**Baron von Nobody: Thanks. I will take your suggestion into account, and if I use it, I will be sure to site you as the one who gave me the idea. Plot twist? Who said anything about a plot twist? (adjusts collar and casts eyes about widely). I have edited my profile to fix that mistake. **

**crona maka: Will he, maybe, I don't know. I think he'd be an interesting addition to the Death Scythe team. Though, would anyone but Maka ever accept him? **

**Animeguy1101: I doubt I'll add any other Soul Eater characters. Lord Death may appear when Crona checks in with him. Other then that, I don't think they'll play a big part. The only way I think they could, would be during the chapters were Crona will go home, just like when Tsukune went home in Rosario Vampire.**

**Darkened Dragon: ... You may be pleasantly surprised. **

**Spider's Claw: Thank you, I try. It is difficult at times keeping Crona properly in character, but I do my best. Yes, I have tried to make the correction this chapter. Where am I going with it? I think I'll keep that my little secret. **

**Grimlock the King of Stories: It's nice of you to say. You do some excellent work yourself. Don't worry, I have no intentions of ever abandoning a story. **

**Kenshin El: Um... thank you? You know, I actually wonder whatever happened to the 'Black Blooded Vampire' myself. Crona is a fun character, and really sold the Soul Eater series to me. If you have some ideas, feel free to write them up and post them. It may mean some more competition, but this little section of crossovers needs all the stories it can get. **

**darkhero what must be done: Are you serious? Have you ever actually read Rosario Vampire? No one is ever really punished for anything! Don't believe me? Mizore is almost rapped by her teacher. The worst thing that happens to him is that he's fired. It never says he was taken into custody. Who was going to 'take her (Tamao) into custody?' the corrupt police force? One of the teacher's almost openly brainwashes her students, and she keeps her job. Heck, I'm not sure why the art teacher ran away after her battle, it's not like she'd have received a fitting punishment. Here's a kicker: Remember Saizou from chapter 1? Of course you, he nearly rapes Moka and almost kills Tskune. They beat him up, and the day is saved. So, Saizou probably receives a harsh punishment right? Sent to jail for attempted rape and murder? No. He shows up 19 chapters later, as part of a terrorist group ANTI-THESIS. He's apparently still at the school, attending class, but nobody ever really addresses that. I'm sorry if I put you off of this by killing Tamao, but this is the world both mangas are set in: a world where killing isn't really frowned upon. The DWMA trains people to go out and kill people they deem to corrupt to continue to live, and Crona is trying to subscribe himself to that life-style. Tamao had no problem killing any boy stupid enough to join her swim club. Frankly, I hate to say this, she was asking for it. **

**Sorry for the rant, that comment just struck me as being... to odd not to rant at. **

**Now, it's time to get started. One more comment before we do: This first part deals with Moka's blood lust for Crona. If it strikes anyone as being a little risque...(shrugs)... you've been told. Hopefully you'll find it more funny then anything else. This is just how I see it going down. So, without further delay, let's dive into another chapter of:  
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_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_** Chapter 4: Dealing with a Werewolf  
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The sky was once again the dreary gray that Crona had come to associate with this horrible place. He stared up at the clouds as they passed, walking to the classroom Neko-sensei had told them to go to. Of course he wasn't alone. By his side was his pink haired vampire friend Moka. And from his back his symbiotic partner, Ragnarok, grew from his back. He'd gone with his smaller form today, deciding that after the pool incident, they would need to be more subtle.

Moka fidgeted as they walked along, the desire becoming unbearable. Even though she had been in a coma for like the last four days, her mind hadn't been entirely unaware of the world around it. It could most certainly sense the lack of black blood it was receiving. This coupled with the fact that she hadn't had any for quite a while before hand, was what lead to her current predicament. She needed black blood. Now.

Turning to him she asked "Please Crona! I wanna suck your **blood!**" she told him, probably sounding more desperate then she intended. She was only asking to be polite of course. If Crona wouldn't willing give her what she wanted, no, needed, she would be forced to use violence. While it wasn't something she wanted to do, her body had needs damn it! She knew the odds of her actually being able to defeat Crona in her sealed state were likely zero. Hell, she might say the same thing about her unsealed state, but even then she wasn't sure. She also knew she wouldn't be able to physically injure him enough to bleed either. This only left one option: she would have to get Crona to use a blood attack, and drink that blood. She may get hurt, but considering the alternative was going through black blood withdrawal, she'd gladly take a few scratches.

Of course, there was always the chance that this would be the magical time when Crona finally said yes to her request.

Crona knew nothing of his female compatriot's plots. He was a little freaked out by her wanting to suck his blood, but at least she had asked this time. Maybe if he kept it up, he'd be able to wean her off the stuff entirely! Glancing up, he saw that Ragnarok had turned away, clearly indicating that Crona was on his own in explaining that there would be no Crona breakfast. If she tried to get to Crona anyway, then he'd step in.

Clearing his throat, Crona turned and faced the hopeful eyes of the hungry vampire. "Moka, we've talked about this" he said, trying to stay calm "I don't know how to deal with you drinking my blood. I'm sorry, but you can't suck my blood…" he trailed off. Moka's shoulder's slumped, and she gave a sigh of defeat. Satisfied that would be the end of it, Crona turned and continued on to class.

Moka shook her head; she'd hopped it wouldn't come to this. When she had first thought to ask Crona, she remembered thinking at the time 'self, I don't want it to come to this'. But Crona had refused to acquiesce to her request, so now there was gonna be trouble. Saying a silent promise to beg for forgiveness when she'd had her fill, Moka took a few quick steps to catch up with Crona. Just as she was about to lunge at him, knowing she wouldn't have long before Ragnarok punched her away, she thought of something.

Ragnarok came from inside Crona. In fact, from what she had gathered, he made up Crona's entire blood stream. Which meant he was made of blood. Black Blood. Oh, this was gonna be good…

Crona was almost knocked to the ground when something slammed into him from behind. Wait, not into him, into Ragnarok! Hearing his partner call out in alarm, Crona looked up at the demon. What he saw shocked him: Moka had wrapped her arms around Ragnarok's small form, and had buried her mouth in his neck. He tried beating at her, but she wasn't easily removed. Moka didn't seem to be doing much, just sitting there with her teeth lodged in Ragnarok. And then she began to drink.

Moka couldn't believe it had actually worked! As Ragnarok's black blood flowed into her mouth, she left it there, allowing the dearly missed flavor to saturate her tongue. But then she remembered that Ragnarok could harden his body to protect himself. If she didn't want her teeth broken off, she'd need to move fast. She filled her mouth to maximum capacity with the stuff, an impressive feat, and after a brief struggle swallowed.

After realizing he wasn't going to dislodge her, Ragnarok had tried to harden the blood around her. But before he could, all the blood in the surrounding area was drawn into her. So much taken at once actually caused him to shrink a little. What was worse, she was still on him, and more of his substance had flown to fill in the gap left by the taken blood.

During the second mouthful, Moka struggled not to pass out. The blood was good. Almost too good in fact. It was sending her body into overdrive, making her feel almost mad with pleasure. But she knew it could be quite a long wait until the next time she could enjoy this, so she had to take as much as she could.

It wasn't until the third mouthful that Crona snapped out of his shocked state, and Ragnarok was the size of a miniature, that he took action. Having never tried something like this before, he figured he'd just do what his friend Maka would have done to Soul or her father. Taking a book from his school bag was hard with Moka attached like she was, but he managed rather quickly. Then, bracing himself, he swung the book mightily with a battle cry of "Crona Chop!", and bopped Moka on the head with it.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Somewhere off at Shibusen, Maka's head jerked up. She had been mid conversation with Tsubaki while Soul and Black*Star argued over missions when she had felt it.

"What is it Maka?" Tsubaki asked concerned. Her friend was looking around widely, as though looking for something she couldn't find.

"I'm not sure" Maka said, rubbing her temples "I just felt… a disturbance" she said mysteriously, much to the confusion of the others.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

The blow came as such a surprise that Moka actually jerked back away from Ragnarok. The now much smaller demon burst into blood that retreated into Crona.

With no more blood coming in, Moka could truly enjoy what she already had. She looked at a bewildered Crona, who had Ragnarok's face sticking out of his chest. Ragnarok was glaring at her angrily, but she just couldn't care.

_**"What the hell you bitch! Look what you've done to me!" **_Ragnarok screamed in what Moka found to be a hilarious high pitched voice. She didn't know that Ragnarok hadn't quite regenerated yet, and that was planning a myriad of pranks in revenge for this assault on his person.

Moka just giggled, not wanting to move while she basked in the after glow of the experience. "Hmmm" she said slowly, her eyes half lidded as she looked at the two "Crona said I couldn't drink **his **blood. He didn't say anything about drinking **your **blood" she told them dazedly.

_**"They're the same thing!" **_Ragnarok cried, growing slightly bigger as he did _**"Now you spit me back out right now dammit, I'm not meant to be part of your balanced breakfast!" **_he threatened, stretching toward her, fists balled. Though was trying to stay a reasonable distance away from her, just in case she wanted seconds.

"He he he… what…?" Moka asked, her eyes glazed over. She had only heard, like, every other word he'd said. Lights were playing in front of her eyes, and they were so pretty. She actually found the whole thing pretty funny.

Seeing that she was ignoring him, Ragnarok figured this was the best time to strike. Then, with all the strength he could muster in his current form, he stretched out and punched her right in the stomach.

Moka doubled over, her cheeks bulging. Crona really hopped she wasn't going to barf on him. He didn't really want to deal with that. Frankly, he was just glad it wasn't him that Moka had bitten. Yeah it still freaked him out, but he was pretty sure the vampire would feel the same way if she saw Ragnarok eating a soul. His mind snapped back to attention when Ragnarok delivered a second punch. Moka's eyes widened, though they stayed glazed, as she opened her mouth.

"urp" was the only noise that came from Moka. After that tiny burp, she looked at Ragnarok and pat him on the head, clearly not certain what was going on. Then, her eyes rolled back up in her head, and she passed out.

Well, Crona thought… that just happened. Now what? He didn't really know how to deal with a passed out Moka. Picking her up gently, despite Ragnarok's protests, he began to carry her into toward the classroom. Making sure her mouth was pointed away from him of course, just in case.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

"Crona, today we start in the Newspaper Club together, right?" Kurumu asked him. Before he even had a chance to answer his head was shoved into the girls boobs. "I'm just so happy I can be in the same club as you, Crona!" Kurumu cooed, running her had through his hair. Of course she didn't realize that Crona was busy trying to figure out how to handle not breathing. Though he had to admit, at least when Kurumu accosted him, it was with boobs, not pointy teeth. He was really gonna have to work with Moka on that.

Kurumu blushed as a multitude of naughty thoughts entered her head as she watched Crona flail around with his head in her chest. _"Crona, you are my destined on! So just watch as I deepen my connection to you into a lovely relationship…Because I will not lose to that Moka Akashiya!" _she thought defiantly in her head, casting a glance at the vampire. Moka had woken up, but hadn't said much. She mostly sat at one of the desks, giggling and staring into space.

Feeling the wiggling in her breasts stop, Kurumu looked down to see that Crona was now in danger of suffocation. Gently, she plucked his head from its spot in her chest. Looking at her destined one's face, she felt a warmth grow in her chest. She wanted him. She wanted him to love her! But right now, he only saw her as a friend. But something inside her drove her to be closer to Crona. She wondered if that odd feeling guiding her was her own Succubus nature, or something else? Before she could think much on these thoughts, a small squeeze alerted her to the presence of Ragnarok, who was now using a small hand to squeeze her boobs.

When the door to the class slide open, it caught everyone's attention. Neko-sensei walked quickly inside, a smile on her face. Seeing them all there, her smile only grew "Well then everyone, thanks for joining my club!" she exclaimed, her tail wagging. Crona smiled at his over active teacher, her mood was infectious. He stopped. What if her mood really was infectious? Could Neko-sensei do that? Oh, he how would he deal with infectious moods? Inside him, Ragnarok felt a sweat drop building. Sometimes Crona's phobias were just stupid.

"Let's begin the club activities for the Youkai Academy Newspaper Club!" she said, taking out a sample paper from the year before to show them.

Though, as she said that, Kurumu, Crona, Ragnorak, and the now only slightly dazed Moka took note of something. They were the only people in the classroom besides Neko-sensei. Were they the only members? Jeez, sensei hadn't been kidding when she said no one had joined.

Raising his hand shakily, Crona asked the obvious "Um… Sensei, I just kinda fell into this club, and I don't really know anything about it, but… well… are we really the only people in the club?" he asked fearfully "This is the newspaper club right? How are going to make a school newspaper with only three people? I don't know how to deal with something like that" Crona told his teacher, getting a blank look in return.

"Don't be silly!" she said, shaking her head vigorously. Before she could say more though, there was a sharp rap on the door. "Ah, see, here he comes, the only other club member!" she told them, gesturing to the door with an over exaggerated wave of her hand.

That statement didn't make Crona feel any better. Great, so they five members instead of four. He winced as an irate Ragnarok vehemently reminded him that he was **not **a part of their dinky little newspaper club.

"Man, I'm sorry! Here I am last on the first day." the other member said as he stepped into the room. He was a tall guy, and Crona was pretty sure he wasn't a first year student like them. He had brown eyes and short, stringy, black hair, which he kept back with a red headband. He was wearing the standard male uniform, except he had no tie. Instead, he had a strange wolf head pendant dangling from around his neck. In his hands he was carrying two bouquets of flowers. "Greetings!" he said, giving them a dazzling smile. "I'm the president of this newspaper club, Ginei Morioka." he said stepping toward them "Pleased to meet ya!" he told them.

Crona had to admit, this guy certainly appeared to be a nice guy. Maybe this wouldn't be such a bad club after all?

Gin suddenly dashed forward to stand in front of Moka and Kurumu. "Ooh! The teacher told me about you, what beautiful new club members you both are!" he said, handing them the flowers. Moka looked at them confusedly, having only just come out of her black blood euphoria induced trance. Kurumu, who was used to having boys hand her flowers, handled it better. Though she was taken a little a back by the boy's speed. "You can call me 'Gin.' "Gin-chan' is good too! Ahh… red flowers are always suitable for such lovely ladies!" he said, giving a thumbs up.

Crona sighed, perhaps he'd spoken too soon? This guy was beginning to remind him of Maka's dad, hitting on any hot girl he saw. How was he supposed to deal with such a pervert? Wait, had he just refer to Kurumu and Moka as hot in his head? Oh god, moods were infectious! He was becoming a pervert! How was he supposed to deal with that!

Inside, Ragnarok sighed. There were days when he really hated knowing all of Crona's thoughts. Frankly, he agreed with the assessment of Gin though. But if this guy thought he could muscle his way in on Ragnarok's girls, he'd get another then coming.

Gin looked at Moka and blushed slightly. He could smell the arousal around this girl; it was coming off her in waves! He wondered what had caused such a thing? Either way, it was driving him nuts! He had to have her, his alpha dog instincts demanded it!

Moka wondered why Gin was staring at her like that. She really wished she hadn't fainted after she had that much blood. She really needed to get back to her room for a change of panties. At least that nagging feeling insider he had been alleviated. She'd have to find a way to thank Crona later….

"Gin is the only second year club member" Neko-sensei told them as Gin stepped to the front of the room next to her. "Just ask Gin anything you don't know about this club, ok?" she said.

"Heh, you can always count on me!" Gin said, his oddly white teeth glittering in the light.

Kurumu stepped closer to Crona. Ever since she found her destined one, she didn't like hanging around flirty guys. Being closer to Crona made her feel better. She was pretty safe in the knowledge that Crona could kick the shit out of Gin if he made an inappropriate move.

"Well, I must be going, since I have a staff meeting." Neko-sensei said, heading for the door. "Take care of the rest of the club proceedings, Gin." she said, nodding to the older boy.

"You've gotta go already sensei?" Crona asked, surprised the peppy woman was leaving so early.

"Sorry." she said, sounding genuinely apologetic "See you later everyone! Make friends with Gin, ok!" she told them with a laugh as she walked out.

"Well let's see" Gin said as he began pacing "First I'll give you the explanation of just what kinda club this is! The goal of the newspaper club is to publish the School Newspaper!" he said dramatically.

_**"No shit sherlock!" **_Ragnarok screamed inside Crona's head.

"Most of your activity will be reporting on all kinds of things within the academy, and putting them in the newspaper!" Gin elaborated.

_**"Wow, I never would've guessed. We put things in about the school in the school newspaper you say! Oh yeah, the mystery's really coming together now" **_Ragnarok comment snidely. Crona told him to hush, but he had to admit, he was kinda right.

Gin stopped, standing behind the teacher's desk, turning to face them with a serious look in his eye "We'll be put into dangerous situation time after time for the sake of reporting! I'll tell you now, this ain't gonna be no easy ride! Once you've joined, you should prepare yourself." he told them.

Crona's eyes widened. Dangerous situation! Nobody said anything about dangerous situations! How was he supposed to deal with something like that!

_**"Oh calm down you big baby! What on earth could the school paper report on that would be dangerous to someone like us?" **_he asked rhetorically, which did put off some of Crona's fears.

There was a moment of silence as the three new members sat in silence. Moka was the first to break it, turning to Crona and commenting "Well… he seems like… someone we can depend on, right?" she said, though she sounded a little unsure of herself.

"Huh?" Crona asked, snapping out of his conversation with Ragnarok "I don't know… maybe?" he said.

Up at the front, Gin grinned. His coolness was already starting to work on Moka! Soon he would convince her to be with him!

"I'm just messing with yeah!" he said, breaking the tense atmosphere "Let's just have some fun without all the strict talk" he told them, lightening the mood. "This is our poster ad, let's put it up on the back wall!" he continued holding up said poster. The three newbies looked at each other, before standing up in agreement.

Crona was given the job of putting the adhesive on the posters, while Kurumu and Moka got up on chairs to place them high on the wall. Gin stood back to make sure they weren't put up crooked. The posters were of Neko-sensei and they bore the rather wordy slogan 'If you have the chance, make sure to read Youkai Newspaper - Newspaper Club' on them. Frankly, Crona found them weird, while Ragnarok found them stupid. But nobody else commented on them, so Crona didn't either.

Everything was going fine, until his attention was drawn to the girls and Gin.

"Gin, is this high enough to stick the posters?" Moka asked, already standing as high as she could without going on tip toe.

Gin shook his head "no, just a bit higher" he told them.

"What! Even higher?" Kurumu questioned, something finding this rather odd.

"Yeah! Much, much higher!" Gin instructed them.

Crona frowned why did the posters need to be up so high?Gin was odd to him. Sometimes he was flirty and other times serious. He really was like Maka's father. He wondered what type of person he really was….

"Even higher?" Moka asked stretching as far as she could.

Gin didn't immediately respond, instead bending down into a crouch. Crona always hated it when people took that pose, it looked like they were going to the bathroom for goodness sakes! Why was Gin doing that now, when he should be helping Moka and Kurumu? Gin tilted his head slightly, a blush coming to his cheeks. Crona wondered why Gin had that look. Actually, where was he looking.

Crona's eye's widened with realization. He… he couldn't be… Walking over to where Gin was crouching, Crona adjusted his line of sight to match the other boy's. What he saw gave him quite a shock. From where Gin was crouching, was the perfect view of Moka and Kurumu's panties! Gin was pantie peeping! How was he supposed to deal with this?

He had to stop him! His friends didn't deserve some creepy guy looking at him! In his head, Ragnarok silently agreed. The cry baby and big boobs were his and Crona's damn it! Nobody else got to peep on them! Only he got to peep on them!

"Gin, what are you doing!" Crona nearly yelled, running toward the crouching boy, getting the attention of Moka and Kurumu. "Are you really making them put the poster up high on purpose so you can do … that!" Crona asked, giving a glare to Gin.

Gin turned to Crona, shrugging as though he'd done nothing wrong. "Huh? What are you talking about?" he asked innocently. Crona couldn't believe he was actually trying to pretend he wasn't a pervert.

"Please don't pretend you don't know! You were looking up there skirts weren't you?" Crona asked incredulously. He wanted Gin to confess to his misdeeds. Perhaps then the punishment would be less severe. Either way, Crona wouldn't let him get away with treating his friends so shamefully.

"Heh, nonsense!" Gins said, giving Crona his dazzling smile. "There's no way I'm the kind of guy who'd do something so lame." Gin told him with the shake of his head.

Crona clenched his fist. He had seen this guy peep right? A quick check with Ragnarok confirmed it was indeed peeping he'd seen. Did Gin honestly think he was stupid?

"What's going on?" Kurumu asked as she and Moka hopped down off their chairs. They looked to Crona for an answer, but it was Gin who answered first.

"Oh, well this dude says he got an eyeful of your panties!" he said simply, pointing the finger at Crona.

Both the girls blushed deeply in embarrassment. "No! It wasn't me, Gin was the one who…" Crona knew he had to contain the girls rage fast. He had seen what Maka had done to perverts, and she was a normal girl. "This is just a misunderstanding! I mean, I kind of did accidentally see your panties, but it was Gin who was actually trying to peep on you!" he told the wide eyed girls.

The anger around the girls was palpable, and Gin and Crona both knew they were about to vent their wrath. Kurumu's feminine instincts wanted her to smack Crona for admitting he had seen her panties. But just as she raised her hand, a little voice in the back of her mind stopped her. _"Wait a second!" _the voice said lightly _"This is Crona we're talking about! Think this through before you do something you regret to your destined one" _it told her, before fading from her consciousness. Kurumu blinked, the voice was right. But what else had Crona said…? Something about Gin….. oh!

'SMACK'

Gin looked shocked when Kurumu rounded on him and smacked his cheek hard enough to leave a red hand print. Before he could say anything, Kurumu addressed him "I don't buy it." she told him "You've clearly never met Crona if you think such a ridiculous lie would fool me. Crona would never have the guts to peep, he gets flustered" here she grabbed Crona and shoved his head into her breasts "when I do this to him. Someone like him, peeping? Please!" she said rolling her eyes. Now, if Gin had said Ragnarok was the one pantie peeping, she might have been inclined to agree, but the little demon had been inside Crona since the meeting started.

"But, but-" Gin tried to recover, only to be stopped when Moka stepped in front of him. Before he could say anything else, she added her own hand print to Gin's face, with enough force to send the boy sprawled across the desk behind him.

"That was for trying to make me and Kurumu mad at Crona." she told him. Truth be told, a little voice in her head, one that wasn't the Rosary, had told her the same thing as Kurumu. Kurumu had just acted first.

The two girls told Crona they were leaving to go cool their heads, before walking out of the room, for the first time in total agreement. Ragnarok popped out of Crona and looked at the stunned Gin. _**"Gupi, You really are a moron!" **_he said with a laugh, _**"Thanks to you, it looks like the meetings done early. Thanks!" **_he said, as he and Crona walked slowly out of the room, leaving Gin alone.

Gin growled, how had his plan gone wrong? Granted, he'd thought it up on the fly, but it had seemed so fool proof. Was that Crona guy such a virtuous man that the idea of him peeping on the girls was automatically considered a lie? How? It shouldn't be possible. Gin narrowed his eyes. He would have Moka. She stank of arousal, and it was making his animal instincts kick in. He was the top dog, the alpha! And if this Crona was the only thing standing between him and his soon-to-be mate, well…. he had plenty of tricks up his sleeve. Tricks that would make sure Crona became the most hated boy in school!

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

"Oh, how embarrassing! I can't believe Gin would really peek!" Moka muttered to herself, back in her room. "Which one was it today anyway?" she wondered. But before she could lift up her skirt to check, she was interrupted.

_"What are you doing?" _the Rosary asked, making Moka jump in surprise.

"Wha…oh, it's you!" moka said.

_"What do you mean 'it's you'?" _The Rosary asked, sounding annoyed._ "More importantly, you had best take care!" _the voice warned her, suddenly becoming serious. Moka also noted that the voice sounded strained. It was like the voice of the Rosary were trying to talk with a mouth full of mud. _"I smell something dangerous about him! A scent as if he's hiding some strong power! Be careful of that 'Gin' male." _the Rosary told Moka, making her eyes widen. Before she could ask it any questions, the Rosary spoke again _"Also, I want you to… avoid that Crona boy!" _the Rosary told her, much to Moka's surprise.

"What! Why? Crona's our friend, he's always been there for us…" Moka replied, wanting to know what her other self was thinking. Give up Crona? Not likely.

_"I know you have feelings for that boy, but I sense something about him that isn't right! Ever since you started drinking his blood, we have started to change. This is my body too, and you have no idea how his black blood will effect us!" _The Rosary told Moka angrily.

Moka bit her lip in thought. Could the Rosary be right? Could Crona be, intentionally or otherwise, effecting her? _**'Oh course he is' **_ a little voice in the back of Moka's mind told her. _**'he showed us friendship. He made us more confidant in ourselves. He has never done anything to warrant our distrust of him' **_Moka nodded as she worked through her problem.

_"Are you listening to me?" _the Rosary snapped at her.

_**'Maybe the other me is just jealous? She's been sealed up for so long, she's probably resents us for experiencing things she cannot' **_Moka's thoughts whispered gently through her mind. Moka finally came to a decision.

"I'm sorry, but I can't do that" Moka told the Rosary.

_"What did you say?" _the Rosary asked, unable to believe that the outer her was defying her.

"I know you must hate being stuck inside like you are" Moka told the Rosary "But for the time being, this is my body, and I'm the one in control." she genteelly ran her thumb across the Rosary's eye. "So I'll be friends with whoever I want. And that's final" Moka told the Rosary, her tone clearly indicating the conversation was over.

Deciding it was too late for anything else tonight, Moka got ready for bed. A part of her was proud for telling off her inner self. Who knew she could be so bossy? And to doubt Crona's friendship? A part of her did wonder about the second voice in her head. That was her right? Her conscience maybe, trying to make sure she didn't ruin her friendship with Crona? Yeah, that was it. She was in control of her own body, no matter what the other her thought.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Crona didn't see Moka until the next day. He wondered if she would still be in a bad mood. As he approached her, he noted that she didn't look upset. He asked her if she had any plans to go back to the Newspaper club. Frankly, he wouldn't be surprised if she chose to stop because of Gin's bad behavior.

"Nah," she'd told him "I probably just won't talk to him for a while as revenge for peeping".

Once again she proved she was a good person. If it had been Crona or Ragnarok, their version of revenge likely would have involved a Bloody Needle lodged somewhere very uncomfortable for Gin.

The two didn't seem to realize they were being watched by the very person they were talking about. Gin frowned as he watched the two walk side by side. Turning to a passing pair of female students, he approached them. "Hey, excuse me! You girls! Have a sec?" he asked.

Both girls blushed as the tall handsome boy approached them, wondering what he could want with them. "There's something I'd like you to tell me." he said, giving his shiny grin. He smirked inside as he watched the girls blush and squirm under his gaze. This was the way it was supposed to be.

"What is it?" the one on the left asked, hearts in her eyes.

Gin pointed to where Crona and Moka were walking in the distance. "That Crona dude and Moka are always together, but are they dating?" he asked bluntly.

The two girls shared a look. It figured he was just after Moka. "Well, I'm not really sure but… they don't really match, do they?" the one on the left, a blonde said.

"Crona is too normal! Moka has the kind of beauty that charms even other women!" her friend, a brunette, told him.

Gin just nodded, beckoning for them to continue "But listen… rumor has it that people have seen Moka kissing Crona **on the neck**!" the blond whispered, as though she were imparting some great secret. "So, I guess they might be dating…" she trailed off unsure.

Gin twitched, horrified by this turn of events. "Wha… his neck!" how could this be? "You say a kiss on his neck!" It couldn't be true! "No way, you've gotta be kidding me!" Gin cried, falling to his knees, pulling his hair so hard, the two girls feared he'd tear it out.

Suffice to say, Gin's actions caused the girls to beat a hasty retreat. It didn't matter how cute he was, the guy was just too weird.

Gin stood slowly, his head bowed. This would not stand! He would not allow some loser like Crona to have a beauty like Moka! Never! He would have to break them up. And he was sure he had the perfect plan to do just that…

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Kurumu walked through the halls of Youkai Academy, enjoying the quite of the after school hallways. She had found, recently, that she rather enjoyed these quite times, which allowed her to think and reflect. No one was around to ogle her, which was a refreshing change of pace. She loved being every man's wet dream, but since finding her destined one, the stares had become slightly annoying. That was why she had taken to staying in the building after school, when she didn't have to meet up with Moka or her beloved Crona. She had found that the best places for her to just relax and think were usually the corners of rooms or halls. In fact, there was this nice little corner near the library that she found particularly comfortable and isolated.

It was on her way to visit her 'Mr. Corner' that she spotted the unusual pair. Crona and Gin, were walking down the hall. Well, more like Gin was speed walking toward Crona, who looked rather unhappy to see him. Not that Kurumu could blame him, she was still mad at the stupid pervert. too. Slipping behind a wall, she leaned out just far enough to hear what they were saying. Sure it was technically eavesdropping, but maybe listening to Crona talk when he thought his friends weren't around would give her some insight to his real personality.

Gin approached Crona, ready to put his brilliant plan into action. "Yo, Crona!" he called out, getting the younger boy's attention. The boy shook his head, as he was brought out of his thoughts. Gin ideally wondered what the strange boy was thinking.

"Oh…Gin" Crona said turning to face him. Crona frowned, still not particularly happy with Gin. There were some things he'd love to say to him, but he knew he wouldn't. Even after all Maka's efforts, he still wasn't good with people. Especially not when it came to social confrontations. That just wasn't something he knew how to deal with. This wasn't a problem he could solve with violence which was, honestly, was what he was good at. He couldn't even put the scare into Gin by flaring his wavelength; because his soul perception told him that Kurumu wasn't too far away. Unlike Gin, she was his friend, and he didn't really want to scare her. Oh well, maybe later. For now, he guessed he'd just have to live with Gin like he'd done with Maka's dad.

Gin gave Crona a bright smile "Today's club activities will be held outside. Why don't you come with me?" Gin said, doing his best to look nonthreatening "I had something I wanted to talk to you about anyway."

Crona clenched up internally. Go somewhere with Gin the pervert? He didn't want to…but perhaps he should give him the benefit of the doubt. He did say he had something to tell him, so maybe he should just such it up? Besides, it wasn't like Gin could actually do any harm to him right?

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

"Um… Isn't this just the back of the school?" Crona asked surveying his surroundings. Gin had lead him on a long walk around campus, chatting about a myriad of insignificant things. Now that they had arrived, Crona took note of the fact that it was just a dingy alley behind the school. "Are we really having our activities here?" he asked, suspicion in his voice. He and Ragnarok were already preparing for whatever attack Gin had planned. The only good thing was that Gin had been dumb enough to lead them to a secluded spot.

"Haha, don't you worry, everybody'll be comin' soon!" He said, before turning to face Crona. "By the way, sorry about yesterday. Moka and Kurumu got majorly pissed didn't they?" he said, his smile dimming somewhat.

Crona was surprised Gin would actually be the one to bring that up. At least he was apologizing. That wasn't something Crona had thought he would do. Maybe he had lead them back here so nobody would no, and it would save him some pride? Either way, Crona didn't want Gin to think he'd get off scot free.

"Yeah they did." Crona responded. "I don't know why you would do something so mean to them. Don't you know that peeping is rude?" Crona asked, disturbed by the fact that Gin still seemed so at ease. Geez, he just didn't know how to deal with perverted guys.

Gin ignored him, instead gesturing to the alley around him "We're here! This is the place Crona!" Gin said.

"Here?" Crona asked, looking around. It was the end of the alleyway, what was so special about this place. The only outstanding feature was a window high up on the wall.

Which apparently Gin seemed to love, given how he suddenly pointed at it saying "Look, over there! There's a little window up there." Crona was beginning to wonder if there wasn't something wrong with Gin in the head. Did he honestly think he hadn't seen the window? "Why doncha take a peek inside?"

"Wh-What? Why?" Crona asked. Why did Gin want him to do that? What was on the other side of the window? Crona got a bad feeling, that there was more to this then meets the eye, and it wasn't going to be something he wanted to deal with.

"It's not gonna bite, just take a look! It'll be interesting" Gin tried to reassure him, his friendly smile suddenly ringing false with Crona. Plus, given what Gin found interesting compared to what he found interesting, Crona was now sure he shouldn't look in the window. But it didn't look like Gin was going to take no for an answer, so how was he going to get out of this.

Crona stepped forward, stepping on some crates piled under the window to boost himself up. Gin turned away to hide the sneer forming on his face. Looks like the little punk wasn't so smart after all. "Oh, and and one more thing!" he said, as he heard the sounds of climbing "Moka is even better than I heard y'know…I really like her! She's even got me falling love at first sight." he said wistfully. He turned, seeing the very surprised face of Crona. How someone so bland could score a hotty like Moka he'd never understand. "I'm serious! I'm gonna make sure that Moka Akashiya becomes my woman!" he declared.

Crona wondered why Gin was telling him all this now. Of course, it wasn't the first time he'd heard someone declare that Moka would be their's, so he wasn't too shocked. But really, why just bring it up? Was he planning on attacking when his back was turned? Was that why he had to look in the window?

The window in question was slightly open, allowing the faint sounds of conversation to drift outward. Crona wondered why it was noisy, and against his better judgement, turned back to the window.

Gin turned around again, digging his camera out of his back pocket. When he was sure Crona was definitely looking through the window, he'd turn around and snap a picture to use as blackmail! It was brilliant! Hearing a startled gasp, he snapped around and took the picture of… nothing. Huh?

Crona was standing away from the window, a scarlet blush on his face. From his back, the little creature from yesterday was stretched upwards. The creature was at just the right hight to see through the window, but it and Crona were positioned so they were just out of his shot!

Crona couldn't believe what had happened. Gin had apparently tried to get him to look into some kind of girls changing room. Having decided to play it safe, Crona had waited until Gin's back was turned to use a plan of his own. Okay, plan wasn't the right word. He had just quietly hopped off the crate, while Ragnarok stretched out his back to look through the window for him. Frankly, Ragnarok thought he got the better end of the deal. He would definitely try convincing Crona to come back here later. Right now there was business to take care of.

Gin was now locked in a staring contest with Crona and the thing on his back. It was obvious to all that he had tried to set them up; the camera was all the proof they needed. How had things gone so far south. Maybe he could fake them out?

"Peeping is a crime Crona! And the photo evidence has been taken. If Moka or Kurumu sees this picture, they're probably gonna hate you forever!" he said, making himself sound tougher then he felt.

Ragnarok just rolled his bulbous _**"You don't have any evidence moron." **_he said, calling Gin's bluff. _**"You weren't even pointing the camera at us!" **_

Gin stuttered as he tried to come up with a lie. Suddenly, a tendril of black blood whipped out of Ragnarok's body and snatched his camera while Gin was distracted. After checking that there really was no picture, Ragnarok smashed it to pieces with his bare hands.

_**"Now I think it's time we talked about what we're gonna do with you for trying to frame us" **_Ragnarok warned, popping his knuckles menacingly.

Gin knew he had been caught. But he couldn't afford to fight Crona or his creature right now. He'd have to stall for time. Cupping his mouth he cried "Hey, who's that outside the girl's changing room?" Instantly, shouts of protest were heard, as girls scrambled to cover themselves, before heading to the window to see who the peeper was. Looking at Crona in contempt, his face suddenly changed back to his false smile "Heh, I'll stop at nothing to get a woman in the palm of my hand. Later Crona!" he said, then in a sudden gust of wind, he was gone.

Crona looked around widely as Ragnarok disappeared back into him. Both figured it was time to beat a hasty retreat. The girls in the room arrived outside to see a figure fading into the distance. Crona had gotten pretty fast at running away. It was easy in pants, and he'd spent the better part of his life wearing a robe.

Now onto other matters. He had to find Moka and Kurumu! Gin was definitely a womanizer of the worst sort, and they needed to be warned. Reaching out with his Soul Perception, Crona went about the task of finding his two friends, in this very large school.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Moka leaned against the fence on the roof. She had gone by the Newspaper Club room, but no one was there. She had looked around for Kurumu or Crona, but she couldn't find them either. She had tried asking for help, but none of the students were any help. The girls were jealous of her for being one of the girls that got every guys attention, so most had just outright ignored her. Not that she could blame them. When she had tried asking the boys, they had become drooling love struck puppies. It had been just after school when she had stared her search, and now it was late after noon; and it would be dark in about an hour. She figured she'd just have to except that for whatever reason, she wasn't going to see either of her two good friends, well okay, one rival and a…what? A really good friend? A really **really** good friend? A super special awesome friend who had amazing blood? Moka sighed, pondering just what she was with Crona, what she thought she was to him, and maybe, just maybe, what she wanted to be with him.

Moka's reflective time was cut off though, when she heard the sound of the door to the roof being opened. Turning away from where the sun was just barely starting to set, she turned toward possibly the very last person she wanted to see: Gin. For some reason, he looked even more disheveled then he had been yesterday. He also looked out of breath. Weird.

"Oh, so this is where you've been Moka." Gin said, trying to sound civil, while also trying to catch his breath. After ditching Crona, Gin had begun to search frantically for Moka. He knew that if Crona got to her first, he'd blab and the chances of getting any from Moka would drop to zero. Using his enhanced senses and super speed he'd scoured the academy from the bottom up, finally checking sent leading up to the roof.

"Wow, it's almost evening already. I hear we're supposed to have a beautiful full moon tonight." he spoke, forced nonchalance in his voice as he sauntered toward her. Inside though he was frowning. He knew it would do him no good, but all the same he prayed for the sun to set faster and for the full moon to rise. While he had access to his full transformation at any time, he would be at his most powerful at night. He didn't want it to come to that, but it was seeming more and more likely.

Oh, he may act stupid, but Gin had done his homework on the newest members of the Newspaper club. The fact that two of them were supposed to be the hottest girls in school had only increased his desire to know. As a reporter, Gin had contacts in all the high, and low, places.

First was the fact that Moka was a vampire, reportedly one of the strongest races around, though also with the most weaknesses. So far, there had been no instances of her using her vampiric power though, leading Gin to believe it had been sealed like many monster powers were at the academy. Frustratingly though, no one knew exactly what the seal was. The best guess was the Rosary around her neck, which she had never been seen taking off.

Second, was the major babe Kurumu; a succubus. Gin had managed, like many of the more intelligent monsters, to avoid being hypnotized by the busty beauty. But there was apparently a fighter's soul beneath those massive boobs. One of his contacts had been near the infirmary when Kurumu unleashed her true form. She specialized in air combat, and wasn't too bad with her finger blades. Since meeting her, Gin had made sure to always look just between her eyebrows. It gave the appearance of looking her in the eye, without actually exposing himself to her **charm** move.

That just left the third member of the trio, or fourth depending on how you looked at it, and what he'd found either had become common hadn't been encouraging. Pretty much everyone at the Academy knew Crona as a paranoid guy who was afraid of practically everything. He seemed to have a strange demon like creature growing from his back, but had never explained to anyone how or why. His blood was apparently black. What most people didn't know, was that the boy was incredibly strong. He could apparently manipulate his blood, and was known to use high powered sonic attacks. He was also quite skilled in sword combat. This was gathered from the fight with the mermaids and Kurumu. The last thing that had been relayed to him, was that the boy had the most disturbing aura. There was something fundamentally wrong about it. Something…maddening. At first Gin had thought his guys were playing him, but he had already seen the little demon for himself. He still hadn't figured out a way to perfectly counter what Crona might throw at him. That was why he was going to have to make Moka his woman quick.

"Gin…" Moka said, clearly not very happy to see him. Gin frowned internally. Why did all of his plans up to now have to fail. He had to do something to regain her trust.

"Moka… I want to apologize to you." He said in a rush, surprising both himself and Moka. Oh well, he'd just have to go with it. "I've already apologized to Kurumu and Crona. I would have done this sooner, but I've had trouble finding you" he said, trying to look sheepish.

Moka blinked. She honestly hadn't been expecting that. Gin didn't strike her as the type who was used to saying sorry for their actions.

"What I did was unforgivable, Moka, I realize that now…" Gin said, totally ad libbing by this point. He was slowly moving closer and closer to Moka. He glanced at the sun, which was only half way set. "It's just… I've been the only person in the Newspaper club for a while now… and I've never actually been with anyone as beautiful as you" he said, standing before her.

Despite herself, Moka blushed. Gin stood beside her, looking up at the sky. "I hurt you Moka, and that is unforgivable" Gin said, placing a hand on Moka's shoulder. "Tonight… I will console you!" He said, making Moka go wide eyed. "I will show you that I can be a truly passionate man!" Gin said, throwing every romantic sounding word he knew into his speech.

Moka wasn't sure, but something told her she wasn't going to like Gin's 'passion'…

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

"oh… where are they!" Crona groaned out loud. He had searched floor by floor for his friends. He was on the third floor now, and so far his search had yielded nothing. He knew he had to hurry, because it appeared that Gin was a monster! Not just any monster, but the type who would do anything to get a girl. If he didn't hurry, Kurumu or Moka might be next. Though if he was honest, Moka might be in more danger. He had been told Vampires were supposed to be super powerful, but he'd never actually seen Moka fight. Kurumu seemed like she might be able to handle herself. Though he had no idea what Gin was….

"Crona? Crona!" Crona heard his name being called frantically. "Crona over here!" turning his head, Crona looked out of the third story window to see Kurumu bobbing through the air toward him. Opening the window, he quickly told Kurumu what had happened.

The succubus was furious that someone would try to stain the honor of her Destined One, and she did agree that they should find Moka. Not because she liked the other girl or anything of course. No, only because that was where Gin was most likely. Actually, Kurumu was quite excited to see Crona fight again. Every time he released his aura, her heart fluttered in her breast.

So without further delay, the two began their frantic search for the pink haired girl.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

"Kyaa! No! Let go!" Moka said squirming in Gin's grasp. "What are you doing Gin?" she asked her face red from a mix of anger and embarrassment.

"What? Am I not just holding you tenderly?" Gin asked, trying to feign innocence. He knew he shouldn't have, but he just couldn't resist. Moka was too beautiful for him to not try. He could tell his inner beast was dying to come out and ravage her...

"NO! You just felt me up!" Moka cried out, mortified that not only had someone felt her up, but that that someone wasn't Crona! Wait…. what?

"Haha…well… it's the scenery!" he said, trying to think up any excuse. "With such a romantic setting, I'm overcome with a feeling of power and suddenly lose all control!" he told her, trying to keep his voice level, and the lust out of it.

"Don't you feel the magic in the air Moka? Just give in to it!" he said, puckering her lips while drawing her close to him. "When I go wild, my sudden urges just make me go crazy!"

Moka didn't know what to do. This was Saizou all over again. "No, Stop!" she pleaded, to no avail. At that, something inside her reacted. She would not be a victim again! With a strength she didn't know she had she placed her hands on Gin's chest and shoved. The boy couldn't hide his surprise as he was suddenly hurled across the roof. Gin slammed into the wall hard enough to send up a cloud of dust. Geez, what was it with some guys at this school? She sighed to herself "huh, I don't think I deal with guys like that…" she muttered to herself.

Suddenly the dust settled and Moka watched as Gin stood up, seeming none the worse for where. Moka decided that now might be a good time to try and talk Gin down "Gin… I'm sorry. I don't feel about you that way. And to be honest, I don't think I ever will." she told him, putting on a mask of determination to hide her nervousness.

Gin just smiled at her. Where before it had come off as kind and friendly, now it was cruel and condescending. He laughed at her "Are you serious? How cute… you think your feelings really matter. I'm falling for you harder and harder Moka." he grinned, and Moka saw his teeth beginning to grow. "But I told ya right? That when my urges get the better of me… my self control **weakens!**"

With a sudden burst, Gin's aura grew by leaps and bounds. Moka struggled to keep herself balanced. "Uh… Gin…" Moka asked hesitantly.

"When my… emotions excite me so much…" Gin spoke, his voice sounding strange, given that he was in mid transformation "I suddenly lose control over myself!"

There was a burst of wind, and suddenly Gin towered over her, his transformation almost complete "I'll take you by force then, and make you my woman, Moka Akashiya!"

"WAIT!" a voice cried

Gin turned slowly "What… are you doing here?" he asked, though he already knew the answer.

Hovering just over the roof were Crona and Kurumu. Kurumu had her wings out and had flown them to the roof to save time. Crona had told her he could make his own wings, but she had insisted, saying it would save time. Plus it gave her an excuse to have Crona in her arms. She set him down, allowing him to reactivate his black blood. He couldn't have it to active while she carried him, as it would have made him to heavy even for her. Neither one of them seemed to happy with Gin. Kurumu grew her nails as soon as Crona touched down, and Crona formed Ragnarok in his sword form, holding him in a ready stance.

"Gin you bastard, I saw what you did!" Kurumu cried out, her eye twitching with rage. She turned to Moka "Gin called Crona over, and after that, I saw him try and make Crona peep!"

Moka gasped, hardly believing the depths that Gin had sunk. Well okay, considering everything that had happened, it wasn't that unbelievable. Actually, it was very believable…. In fact-

Moka's drifting thoughts were broken when Gin growled deep in his chest. "Damn! How dare you… get in the way of our special moment!" he roared. Moka blinked. Who's special moment? She certainly hadn't been having any recently.

**"Back Off!" **Gin roared, revealing his full transformation to the others. Gin was actually a werewolf. He was coated in fur, had sharp pointy teeth and claws, and other wolf like features such as a snout and wolf tail. Crona was actually a bit relieved by this. He had seen werewolves before. Free, the immortal werewolf had been in the employ of his mother for a great deal of the war. Come to think of it, whatever happened to him…

_**"Focus you idiot, we're about to have a battle!" **_Ragnarok chastised him in his mind. Crona refocused on the scene before him, preparing himself to strike. Seeing that Gin was waiting for him to make the first move, Crona charged forward, ready to chop Gin in half if need be.

Though she didn't show it, Kurumu did have some worry in her about Crona. Battling a werewolf was extremely dangerous; and it said to be almost as bad as battling vampires. Both were thought to be equally strong monsters, and a lesser monster going against one didn't have high chances. Then again, she didn't actually know what type of monster Crona was. But if he thought he could take a werewolf, and had the balls to charge one head on, his true form must be pretty bad ass.

Crona was almost to Gin, and Ragnarok opened his mouth in preparation of his signature scream. But before he could let forth a single shout, Gin suddenly disappeared. Something struck Crona in the knees, sending him sprawling forward, and stunning Ragnarok into silence.

**"Don't even think you have a chance, idiot!" **Gin called out, suddenly behind Crona. Crona righted himself, wondering how Gin had gotten behind him. Was it teleportation? Was it pure speed? Free had never been that fast. Crona frowned; he may have to take this fight more seriously then the others.

Gin bared his claws in an effort to look menacing **"I guess you want to die, since you can't seem to keep your hands off Moka, Crona!" **Gin charged **"So hurry up and die!" **Gin knew he had to finish this quickly. If the moon had been out, he would have been much faster. As it was, he was relieved to find he was still quicker then Crona.

The claws attempted to slice through Crona to no avail, thanks to Ragnarok. But the force behind them was not negated, meaning that while no blood was shed, Crona felt like he just got punched by a rhino.

Rubbing his sore chest, Crona pointed his sword at Gin, the mouth opening. "Screech Alpha!" he proclaimed, expecting a wave of sound to fire out. But before it did, Gin slammed into him again, making him and Ragnarok lose focus, and the attack never launched. He tried to resonate with Ragnarok again, but the same thing happened.

Gin smirked as he slammed Crona into the ground. **"I know all about your little tricks, punk!" **he said sneering **"If I can keep that 'thing' from screaming, you can't launch any attacks!" **he called circling Crona at high speeds, pummeling him from all sides. With a final right hook, Crona slammed into the same wall Moka had sent Gin to not long ago. The sword he held dissolved into liquid blood again, as Crona tried to steady himself.

Ragnarok poked his body out of Crona's torso, and began shaking him back and forth _**"Get your head in the game you idiot!" **_he said, clearly expressing his displeasure.

Crona shook his head, trying to get the almost cartoon like images out of his vision "There are stars and planets and stuff floating around me! I don't think I can deal with astronomy right now." he muttered.

Ragnarok shook his head and Crona's words, and saw Gin gearing up for another assault _**"Trust me, astronomy's a lot easier to deal with then death kid, so move it! If you get hit by his attack one more time, I'm gonna go back to putting thumb tacks in your shoes!" **_he threatened. When worse came to worse, threatening almost always worked. He didn't think he'd actually do anything to Crona though, sense it was only partially his fault. If that stupid skull faced bastard Lord Death had allowed them a little more wiggle room with the seal, this might be easier.

"But those would stick into my feet whenever I walked, and it would hurt, I don't think I could deal with that!" Crona shouted in what sounded like fear. In reality, he and Ragnarok had had a conversation similar to this long ago, when he first fought the meister know as Stein. While he and Ragnarok bantered back and forth, he had come up with an idea, and relayed it to Ragnarok for his input. He didn't actually think the demon would do those things he threatened to do. Now. Probably. Actually, Crona thought, just to be safe, he'd try to make sure he didn't get hit.

Gin charged, unable to take more of the stupid back and forth his opponents were spouting. With this attack, he'd crush that little brat's skull in, and then Moka would be all his-

Gin was cut off when he suddenly crashed to the ground, intense pain running through his ankles and legs. Looking down, he saw long black needles sticking out of them. Where had those come from? Suddenly, his instincts were screaming at him to look around. What he saw made him want to smack himself. So focused was he on his target, he had lost track of his surroundings! All around him, more floating needles pointed at him. Each had a single eye like the demon on Crona's back, and as one they spoke in a mocking high pitched voice _**"Bloody Needles!" **_

Injured, it took all Gin's focus to dodge the onslaught of pointy death. Which allowed Crona to perform his next move unchallenged. More blood flowed from Crona, who reached into the cloud that was forming and pulled out a handle. But has he continued to pull, what came out was not the usual Ragnarok sword, but something else entirely.

It was a whip; or perhaps more accurately, a cat o' nine tails. Like most things that came from Crona, it was pitch black, with notable exception of the white band wrapped around the handle. The ends of the nine whip heads were large vicious knots. The knots were white like Ragnarok's eyes, and could move independently of the whip.

With a crack Crona sent the tails of the whips speeding toward Gin, ready to flay the skin from his bones. Gin finally noticed them, and used his speed to dodge them. Looking back where he had just been standing, Gin's eyes widened when he saw the whips turn in his direction before flying at him again.

This process repeated itself for a while, only varying when Gin tried to attack Crona directly. He stopped doing this when Crona started having Bloody Needles circle his body like hawks. Finally, Gin had had enough. Waiting until all the whip tails were almost at him, he used his incredible speed to snatch them all out of the air in one move.

**"Haha! Is that the best you can do you little shit?" **Gin called arrogantly. Crona didn't seem upset though. In fact, he seemed to be smirking, something that just looked off on the normally frightened boy's face. He got ready to yank the whip from Crona when he felt something strange. Looking down at his hands he yelped in surprise to see they had coiled around his hand, making dropping them impossible. One by one, the knots opened up, revealing nine tine mouths. Gin tried to run away on instinct, but the he was effectively tied down. He tried to jerk it out of Crona's hand, but somehow the scrawny looking kid was able to hold his own.

Crona's brief smirk turned into a frown. He and Ragnarok resonated their soul wave length higher and higher, pushing the boundary of the seal. Gin would be made an example of.

As Crona's wavelength washed over the whole roof, Gin's instincts were screaming at him, telling him he was a fool. Why had he picked a fight with a bigger predator then himself? He hadn't known, but he should have! His animal instincts should have shown him all the signs! How could this kid be so good at hiding his true nature? What was he?

The girls were having a completely different reaction. Kurumu felt her heart swell, and she wanted nothing more then to crawl to Crona on bended knee, wrap herself around him, and never let him go. Moka felt her mind go fuzzy, as the numbingly good feelings she had experienced yesterday resurfaced. The other her clearly didn't know what she was talking about… could feelings so good really be wrong? Moka didn't think so, and by the looks of it, Kurumu would certainly agree.

When Crona spoke, it was not in the frightened tone he had used early. Now, when victory was clearly his, his voice was firm, and spoke with a determination that was in sharp contrast to his usual personality. This was the voice he only used for those who would threaten his friends.

"You have treated my friends so shamefully, Gin Morioka." Crona said, making Gin wimpier with fear, even as he struggled to free himself. He glanced over his shoulder, why couldn't the full moon come out?

Crona tightened his grip on the Whip, his soul force flowing through it. "You will not do it again" the energy reached the mouths, each of them taking in a deep breath "Screech Iota!"

Each of the nine mouths released a tiny, but powerful, concentrated blast of sound waves right into Gin's head and chest. Gin was immediately blasted off his feet, the whip unwinding as it did so. Blood leaked from Gin's nose, and he was pretty sure he felt two of his ribs crack. Gin's head was thrown back in a scream of pain, several of his teeth having shattered from the pure sonic output.

The unfortunate werewolf slammed into and through the less then sturdy roof fence, flying outward into open space. His eyes widened with panic; because as it turned out, flight was not an ability werewolves happened to possess, or even learn in a pinch. This meant that the three freshman were treated to a new scream, this one of fear, as Gin plummeted several stories to the hard, unforgiving earth. Oh well, he'd be fine. Probably.

Crona turned to his two friends to find them stunned. As soon as they recovered, he was quickly glomped and showered with praise. He tried to wave it off, but they would have none of it. He was there hero, and they wanted him to know it!

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

"Extra! Extra! From the Newspaper Club!"

It was not long after the Gin incident, and the three friends were happily passing out the first addition of the school newspaper. Most of their customers were boys who wanted to be close to Moka and Kurumu. But surprisingly, and to the annoyance of the said girls, Crona had his own decent fan base. Being the only one with a vibe that didn't scream 'perverted loser', he was actually getting a few doey eyed glances from some of the schools female population. Something Crona found very difficult to deal with, no matter how much Ragnarok was enjoying the attention.

None of them had thought that the story they were running would be their first job. 'Gin Morioka, 2ND year, outed as notorious perpetrator in Peeper Riot', was a story that was selling very well, and was certainly giving the girls a lot of things to say. Most of them to Gin.

**-Omake-**

"Now you just rust up now, and you should be out of here in no time!" the school nurse said, looking down on her patient. The boy was apparently outed as the school peeper, and had received a vicious beating from the girls at the school. That, combined with his already grievous injuries; the cause of which he hadn't said, had lead to him being confined to a hospital bed.

Turning from her patient, the nurse closed the door behind her, signed all the right papers, and prepared to leave for the day. Walking out of the Infirmary, she stopped to take a deep breath of non-sterilized air.

Suddenly, a piece of paper smacked her right in the face. With a grunt of annoyance, she removed the offending paper, wondering where it had come from. Glancing at the top, she read:

A Poem by Crona.

How original. Glancing at the first line, she found herself compelled to keep reading it. After about a minute, she had read the very last line.

..

..

..

Doctors and nurses alike were baffled by this new case. A woman had just collapsed in front of the Infirmary, weeping profusely, muttering 'nothing has meaning' over and over again. The woman was on suicide watch until the cause of her sudden mental break could be more properly diagnosed.

When the person who found her was questioned, the couldn't account for her strange behavior either. The only thing they noted was that the woman had been holding a piece of paper when she broke down; but that before they could get a look at it, a gust of wind blew it away. Most doctors just shrugged that piece of information off. After all, what could have possibly been written to cause such state?

**End Chapter 4**

**I hope you all enjoyed that little Omake at the end. I figure, any chapter that I don't end with an vital piece of plot, will end with an Omake instead. Last chapter didn't have one, for instance, because it ended on Crona starting his crusade to protect the school. **

**Also, "Screech Iota". Love it? Hate it? Let me know. If you have an idea for one of Crona's moves, please, feel free to comment. If I use it, I'll be sure to post who gave me the idea. **

**That's all I have to say for now. I hope all of you enjoyed this chapter, and if you did, please let me know, and press that Review button. Remember to check my profile for info on upcoming chapters on my various stories. **

**Until Next Time...  
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	5. Dealing with a Witch

Youkai Academy, a secret school for monsters to attend. It is a school where many monsters have come to study how to adapt to human society.

A large sign posted on the side of the school drew a rather large crowd of students from the freshman class. As they looked at the sign, some threw their hands up in jubilation. Others bowed their heads in despair.

Other than the monster part, their classes are normal. And the school curriculum is based on human schools! The sign that was garnering so much attention, was a posting of the midterm test results for the 256 students that made up the freshman class. The monsters going to this school have math tests, and have to study for exams. Many of them will go off to universities or go into business in the human world.

It was to this scene that Moka Akashiya walked to. The pink haired girl scanned the board nervously. She totally ignored the surrounding boys who turned into love sick neanderthals at the sight of her. Finally finding her name, Moka was relieved to see she was number 13! A smile graced her lips at this boost to her self confidence.

"Awesome! It says Moka is the 13th!"

"Not only is she the most beautiful girl at the Academy, but she's smart too!"

"And she had a good personality, and isn't stuck up!

Apparently the boys had noticed too. And while some might be flattered by being told 'She's perfect' or 'She's the number one ideal girl', she wasn't. Well, she would have been, if they had been said by someone else. Moka blushed as she thought of Crona praising her for her achievement. He'd fall in love with her brains, and that would lead him to take more notice of her body. Then, he would take her in his arms, and offer his black blood to her. And when she had had her fill, she and him would-

"Moka!" Crona called out, walking toward Moka, who was staring off into space. He had seen her place on the rank boards, and had to admit she had done well. It wasn't Maka good, who would no doubt have ended up as number one, but it was way better then his. He had ended up as number 128, the exact middle. Of all the words used to describe Crona, academic was not one of them. He knew his basics, but had difficulty grasping more advanced concepts. Ragnarok didn't make things easier. The demon didn't like to study, and took great pleasure in aggravating Crona the few times he had tried. Ragnarok's entire strategy for passing anything school related was to cheat. However, that wasn't a philosophy that Crona ascribed to. Mostly because he knew that if Maka ever found out… he shuddered to think about it. Focusing on Moka again, he said "You did really well Moka… I've got to follow your example".

It was light praise, but it was enough for Moka. "oh, it's not that great." she said, turning from him. She wanted to hide her blush as her thoughts turned back to what she had been thinking about. Quickly wiping away a small nose bleed, she turned to face him in time for his next comment.

Crona smiled lightly at his friend. It felt so nice to be able to call someone that. A friend. And one who was smart too. Maybe she could help him study? "Moka… can you teach me your study methods for next time?" he asked simply.

Moka fought another blush as she thought of 'private study sessions' with Crona. She was about to give him an emphatic yes, when something strange happened. Her voice froze in her throat, and the rosary on her chest began to get warm.

"Sure Crona!" she said "And in return, let me suck your blood, okay Crona!" she said happily.

Moka blinked, her eyes winding. Why did she say that? She knew how Crona felt about her blood drinking! If she asked that he would-

Crona took a quick step back, holding his hands up in a placating manner. "That's okay Moka! I don't really need the help right now. I was just making sure for future reference. Besides, after the last time you drank my blood, Ragnarok's been pretty serious about not letting you have anymore" Crona said. Internally he sighed. No matter how she looked, Moka was still a vampire at heart. He wondered if she'd ever stop craving his blood.

As the two walked away, Moka cursed internally. That was what she knew would happen! Why had she brought up his blood! She knew what his reaction would be. She looked down at her rosary, which was still slightly warm. What had happened back there? Was the inner her responsible somehow? That actually frightened Moka quite a bit. The inner her didn't like Crona, and would like nothing more then for her to avoid him. Was the seal weakening? How was that possible? She'd definitely need to be more careful in the future. There was no way she was giving up this body, and there was no way she'd give up Crona!

Not far away, a young girl looked on. She was much shorter then the other kids around her. This was because she was also much younger. Her outfit was somewhat… unusual by the academy standards. Over her mandatory female uniform she wore a black cape, and topped her head with a stereotypical witch's hat. This was Yukari Sendou.

Yukari couldn't believe her eyes! She had heard rumors that he was here, but to actually see him in person was another matter altogether! To think; a living legend was here at Youkai Academy. Yukari knew exactly who Crona was the moment she set eyes on him. Crona Gorgon, son of the powerful witch Medusa, and nephew to the equally-if not more so- powerful witch Arachne! These were figures Yukari had read about as a young girl. Well, a younger girl anyway. They were strong, beautiful, and fought against those that would do harm to witch kind! They were her idols, and everything she hoped to be as a witch.

It must have been years ago when she first saw him. Her father, while not a part of many facets of witch society, did still attend the witch's mass. It was there that she had seen Crona, accompanying his mother. She had noticed him right away because, outside of him and her father, there were very few men in attendance. She had heard Medusa brag that Crona would be the key to over throwing something called the 'DWMA', and bringing down Lord Death.

Now while Yukari may not have know what a DWMA was, she certainly knew who Lord Death was. All witch's knew of him, and the unspeakable acts he had perpetrated on witch kind. At first she was skeptical that the boy could be as powerful as Medusa said. But, this was **the **Lady Medusa! She wouldn't lie right? Not to her fellow witches… She just wondered how he was supposed to do all the things Lady Medusa said he would be doing… She figured it must have something to do with the demon on his back.

She wouldn't find out what the DWMA was until sometime later, when it came out that Crona had infiltrated it. That was when Yukari had learned from her reluctant father that the DWMA was a place where people were trained to kill witches; a place run by Lord Death. She had been devastated by the news. Why did the Grim Reaper hate her and her kind so much?

However, this piece of news came out just after the release of the Kishin. When the witches found out, there were many different reactions. Some wanted to seek out the Kishin and swear loyalty to it. Others were worried that the Kishin might prove to be a bigger threat then Lord Death and went into hiding. Even in the monster world, Kishins were… not popular. Unfortunately, her father fell into the later category. He decided to cut himself, and her, off from most of the magical world's affairs.

With no incoming knows, Yukari could only imagine what was going on; and her mind kept coming back to Crona. In her mind, she could see him as a powerful warrior, battling the minions of the DWMA. She could see him plotting the downfall of Lord Death himself, all while maintaining the illusion of a harmless student. It wasn't long before Yukari realized that, even though she had never said two words to Crona, she had fallen in love with him. Or at least the idea of him. She had hoped to one day meet the great Crona in person. From what she had seen of him in person, he was a shy and nice guy. Yukari thought it was so great that he could be humble, even though it was clear he was one of the greatest fighters for witch kind ever.

While her father may have cut the family off from most news, he still had friends that were still involved, and they passed along any big news that they could. She in turn, would have to sneak around to learn anything from the adults while they discussed such things. She loved her father dearly, but he was always treating her like such a baby! She had a right to know what was happening with the witches didn't she? Shouldn't she be told if something had happened? Her snooping did occasionally pay off, and over time she had pieced together bits of what was going on in the world.

It seemed her wonderful Crona had succeeded in driving one of Lord Death's finest meister's into a debilitating insanity. The meister had gone into hiding, and Yukari had never been able to find out anything else about him.

But then the bad news started coming in. Arachne had been killed, her soul taken by two top agents of the DWMA. Yukari had wept when she heard that one of the people she looked up to most had been killed. While she didn't fully grasp the concept of revenge, she knew that if she ever met the ones responsible…. When the war between the DWMA and Medusa's forces began to grow, news became less frequent. She found out that Crona had joined up with his mother again, having been forced to leave Shibusen for some reason.

But then came the most tragic news of all: Medusa's army had lost. Lady Medusa herself had been slain by the same people who had killed Arachne. There were rumors they had help from the inside but Yukari hadn't believed that. Who would ever betray someone as great as Lady Medusa? What could they possibly have to gain. Crona had gone missing after the battle, and no one had any idea where he was. The general idea was that, with the death of his mother and fall of her forces, Crona had either: been killed by the DWMA (an option which Yukari refused to believe. After all, who could kill her Crona?), Been captured (another theory she found unlikely), or gone into hiding, though where no one knew. Yukari found that one to be most likely. At least she hopped so. After all, the Crona she had built up in her head couldn't possibly die, right? He just had to be hiding somewhere…

And it seemed her idea had been correct. When she had been told she would be going to Youkai Academy, she had been both ecstatic and nervous. Her brilliance had allowed her to surpass many of her classmates, but it hadn't earned her many friends. She just hoped things got better in the Academy. While intellectually a teenager, she was still emotionally a young girl who desperately wanted a friend. So far she hadn't had any luck.

But now she may have found her chance at not only friendship, but also the possibility of being with her long time fantasy crush. Since she was a witch, he would have to like her right? If anyone could understand her isolation, it would be someone like him.

"Congratulations, Yukari! It looks like your number one again." a snide voice said, snapping her out of her thoughts. Turning around, Yukari came face to face with one of her least favorite people: Eki, the class representative. "Just as I'd expect from the girl genius. Even though you're just eleven, it seems you didn't get to skip ahead to high school fro nothing." the boy said with a smirk.

He was a tall, blond lanky boy, and was flanked by two other boys. Where they walked, the crowed backed away. The blond was the class representative, and he and his lackeys weren't know for their kindness.

"But listen up; please don't get all high and mighty," he continued. "Because in my eyes, you're noting but an immature brat who reeks of her mother's milk."

Yukari tried not to let her worry show as she stared up at the boy. What did he want from her? Or did he just come here to pick on her?

"And what's the big idea with this outfit?" he asked "It completely defies the school rules." he said, gesturing to her hat "I despise people who stick out!" he told her, giving her a shove.

"Pl-please stop that!" Yukari asked, hating herself for stuttering. She needed to be strong in front of someone like him.

The kids around them all saw what was going on. They saw that she was getting bullied. But they did nothing. All because of how she dressed. Because of what she was.

"As the class representative, your very existence gives me a headache." the boy told her, smirking at the crowds inaction. He knew nobody would help out the kid, giving him cart blanche to do whatever he wanted. "After all, your true form is a witch, is it not?" he asked, not even bothering to keep the disgust out of his voice. "How disgusting! I feel like vomiting, just thinking that you're in the same grade as me." he told her, getting right up in her face.

Yukari narrowed her eyes at that. She couldn't stand people making fun of her heritage! She was a witch and proud of it. Unseen to her bully, Yukari produced a small wand. With a twist of her wrist, a small rock floated up behind the bully, and smacked him right in the head.

Watching him curse and rub the back of his head made Yukari laugh. "You deserved that!" she cried out in childish glee. She loved using her magic to even the score between her and the more powerful monsters.

Suddenly, she felt the boy's aura flare up. He glared down at her, his fingers becoming like claws. "What the hell did you just do to me?" he asked, his voice starting to deepen. More kids backed away, wondering if the class representative was actually going to reveal his true form.

Not far away, Crona felt the increase in spiritual wavelengths, as well as something else that made him curious. If he didn't know better, he'd say he felt a tiny glimmer of a witch's soul. But that was impossible right? Either way, it seemed to have garnered quite a crowd, so maybe he shouldn't check it out.

Moka had other ideas though, and had quickly gone over to see what was happening. And since she had latched onto his arm, he was forcibly taken with her.

Walking up, Crona saw a boy in a partial transformation advancing on a much smaller girl in odd clothing. Crona briefly wondered why she was dressed like that, as though she were a… witch. Could it be?

That was driven to the back of his mind though, when he saw the older boy about to attack her. Now if there was one thing Crona could not abide, it was bullying. Charging his wavelength slightly, Crona pursed his lips before whistling a single sharp note. To normal humans, the sound would be nearly silent, but the monsters with heightened senses, it was unbearable.

Yukari didn't hear any noise, but she did see her attacker suddenly stop to grasp his ears along with a number of other students. Then, two figures stepped in front of her.

Moka had been surprised when she felt a buzz of power come from Crona. She didn't know what he did, but it must have been what made everyone wince. Moka watched as Crona broke from his normal frightened demeanor and walked out of the crowd toward the boy and girl. Moka, still wishing to make up for the blood comment, quickly followed. She went to the girl to check for injuries, while Crona put himself between them and the boy.

The bully looked at Crona and frowned. What was this pussy doing here? He had heard the rumors about Crona that had floated around the school. How, despite his attitude, the boy was a fearsome fighter able to take on many powerful monsters. He personally thought it was all nonsense, but standing before Crona, he did feel like his reptilian senses were trying to warn him.

Crona braced himself in front of the class representative, trying to look intimidating. It wasn't easy, but thankfully Ragnarok helped. He had purchased Ragnarok a large bag of candy the day before on the demon's insistence, so the blood fiend was willing to help Crona look tougher.

In a rather flamboyant display, Ragnarok burst from his back, the black blood intertwining to form his body. Ragnarok flexed his muscles and gave his best glare, something that was quite disturbing to the surrounding crowd.

Crona took a deep breath "I'm sorry, I don't have anything to do with this, but I don't know how to deal with bullies who pick on little kids." he told the bullies simply. Inside, Ragnarok was having a fit. All his work to make Crona look tough would be undone by Crona's natural wussy attitude.

Yukari couldn't believe it! The Crona had actually come to her rescue. Completely ignoring the girl that was trying to ask her if she was okay, Yukari observed her savior. Ragnarok was just as cool and strong looking as she remembered from the last time she saw him. Crona had gotten tall, and in Yukari's opinion, seemed even cuter. He was still using his old routine she noticed: where he acted really shy and weak to keep people from noticing how strong he really was. And then he used Ragnarok to keep them from thinking he was **too** weak. And the best part was he was doing it for **her!** He must have noticed her clothes and realized that she was witch and come to help her.

The crowd seemed to realized just who Crona was too; as they all started talking amongst themselves. They wondered if the class representative would still try and bully Yukari with Crona right there. Some of them were hoping he'd try, just so they could get the chance to watch Crona fight. There were so many rumors floating around, about how he had defeated Saizou in a single blow, how he'd defeated an entire pool of mermaids **while under water!** There were even rumors that upperclassmen Ginei Morioka, who was no slouch, had met his defeat at the hands of the quite freshman.

The blond cast a glance around. Even if he did think he could take Crona, there were too many spectators for his liking. With a huff, he turned and started to walk away "You had better remember this Yukari" he said with a sneer "Let's go guys" and with that, he and his toadies pushed their way through the crowd.

When they were gone, the crowd slowly dispersed, somewhat disappointed there had been no fight. Moka took Yukari's hand, finally getting the girls attention. "Why don't we go somewhere where we can talk?" she suggested, a smile on her face.

Yukari nodded, blushing while she cast a glance at Crona. A chance to talk to her biggest hero? She would do anything for that chance.

With the two girls walking ahead of him, Crona got a bad feeling inside. Even as the little girl kept shooting him shy glances, Crona knew things wouldn't end with something he knew how to deal with.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

The group had moved one of the picnic tables that were dotted about the outside of the Academy. Yukari had been blushing and giving him a wide eyed stare ever since they sat down. Crona was sure she was a moment away from leaping over the table and hugging him. Crona hopped she didn't. He didn't know how to deal with small kids.

Moka was somewhat disturbed by the way this girl was looking at her Crona. She wasn't nervous about the possibility of more competition (she was pretty sure not even Ragnarok was that weird), but it was the way her gaze never shifted from Crona that Moka found… creepy.

Yukari was so embarrassed. Here she was, sitting before one of her biggest idols, and all she could do was stare! What must he be thinking of her. She kinda wished the pink haired girl wasn't there, so she could have a real conversation with the boy. But finally, she just couldn't hold her silence any longer.

"Thank you so much! You really saved me!" she said in a rush, her cheeks flushed. "My name is Yukari Sendou!" she introduced herself, sure that even if he had remembered her from way back then, she had never told him her name.

Moka blinked at the child's exuberant attitude. The name also struck a cord, as it was one of the few names that was ahead of her own "I heard that even though you're in the same grade as us, you're only eleven? And even first?" Moka questioned, getting a hasty look and nod from the girl who quickly went back to staring at Crona, much to the boy's unsettlement. "You're really smart aren't you, Yukari? And that outfit is also really cool!" that didn't even warrant a look. Yukari just nodded dumbly, her eyes only for Crona.

Yukari had no reason to acknowledge what the other girl was saying. She already knew she was first, and that she was much smarter then her classmates. She did appreciate the comment on her outfit though. But it would have meant so much more if it had come from Crona. He looked so unsettled right now, but Yukari knew it was all an act for this pink haired girls sake.

Crona inwardly blinked in surprise. Eleven and already a high schooler? This girl must take her studies seriously. She was probably like Maka in that regard. Deciding that he couldn't just sit there silent while she stared at him, Crona tried to speak.

"She's right Yukari… um… your outfit really is… cool?" he said. He wasn't used to passing out compliments to people he barely knew; it wasn't something he knew how to deal with.

But it seemed his haphazard heavy handed compliment was enough for the young girl. Yukari immediately turned beat read. She started to giggle and her smile looked like it was about to take off from her face.

Yukari could die happy right then. Crona had complimented her witch's cloths! Was that his way of acknowledging her as a fellow witch? Either way, she was so happy to know that the boy she liked thought she was cool. But wait, she had to say something!

"Oh! No, well…" Yukari waved her hands about as she tried to think of the right think to say. She wanted to sound humble, but her mind was a blank "Cool is such… I mean, I'm not… I'm just…."

Yukari ducked her head low, her eyes hidden by the wide brim of her hat. She started fiddling with her fingers, missing the confused looks Crona and Moka shared. Ragnarok had retreated into Crona, claiming he wasn't about to babysit so brat. Thankfully Yukari had missed that comment.

"You're the one who's cool" Yukari said suddenly "and handsome and sweet, Crona" Yukari said, making Crona's eyes widen. He didn't get compliments like that very often.

"You know, actually, I… I…" Yukari couldn't bare it anymore, she just had to tell him!

"I **wuv **you, Crona!" Yukari cried, leaping over the table and tackling Crona in a hug. She closed her eyes as she snuggled into him, her face pressed against his warm skin.

Had she opened her eyes she might have noticed the blushing Moka's WTF face as she stared at the girl who had so openly proclaimed something she had been desperately working up the courage to say herself.

Crona himself was ram rod straight, his body stiffer then a board. Love? This girl said she **loved him?** How? Why? His brain was having a melt down as he sat. He had no idea how he was supposed to deal with the concept of love. No one had ever, **ever**, said that they loved him. Except for… Suddenly Crona's eyes flew wide open as he sensed it.

With Yukari so close, Crona's spiritual senses were able to sense her soul through the relatively weak **Soul Protect** shield it had around it. Soul Protect. In the real world it was something all witches knew. But at such a young age, and in a place where she no doubt felt she wouldn't need it, Yukari's shield was weak; allowing him to see her for the witch she was.

Upon realizing she was a witch, Crona'a overheated mind went into overdrive. What was he supposed to do with a witch? Witch's were very valuable to the DWMA… should he kill her? Yes, the DWMA would want him to kill her… but wait… why should he do that? The girl didn't seem to be under the sway of madness… that didn't matter! The DWMA would want him to collect her soul! But hadn't they spared two students who were found out to be witches…? He wasn't sure… he couldn't remember! He'd have to ask Maka… But he couldn't see Maka because of Lord Death! Maybe he could use this soul to get back into the Death's good graces… but how could one witch's soul do that? Wait! Maybe he could give her soul to Kid! Death's son would surely be able to convince his father that Crona should be allowed to return right? Or at least start the process. No! No! NO!… there was only one soul here! Kid was obsessed with symmetry! He'd need two souls to gain Kid's favor… What about Black*Star! One witch's soul would surely be enough for him! He'd see it as a chance to get closer to his goal to… what did he want again…? Either way, with Maka and Black*Star on his side, surely Kid would follow… But what if Black*Star didn't except? What if he saw it as an insult to his abilities? That would just make it worse! Besides how would he even deliver the soul anyway…. no… he couldn't kill this girl… why should he… this girl had done nothing wrong… he couldn't kill her if she hadn't done anything wrong! He wasn't that same person he had been under Medusa's rule. He didn't have to kill for no reason if he didn't want to… And he only wanted to kill for a reason now… Like Maka did… she wouldn't kill this girl for no reason… even if she was a witch… just like Lady Medusa… no, no… they couldn't all be like her…. they couldn't be… he'd give her a chance… he wouldn't kill her… no…. not kill her….

Meanwhile, in the real world, no one seemed to notice Crona's mental debate to end a young girl's life. Yukari was too enthralled to be hugging her idol, while Moka was too annoyed at see another girl, albeit a young one, hugging Crona.

Yukari finally snuggled up to Crona, her mouth right by his ear. "Every time I saw you in the Witch's Mass, or heard any news about your great deeds, I fell in love with you a bit more" she whispered in his ear.

Crona's almost broke his own decision and skewered her right there. This girl knew who he was! She had seen him with Medusa, and she knew what he had done in her name. Or at least she seemed to know part of it. No one could claim to love him knowing all the things he had done. What he had become.

"But after you saved me, my heart was made up!" Yukari continued, unaware of the jeopardy she might be in if she wasn't careful with her next words.

Luckily, they were the one set of words neither of the older teens had been expecting. Yukari leaned back, though her face was still uncomfortably close to Crona's face. "Please go out with me!" Moka couldn't believe the little girl would ask that, before immediately wishing that she had done so already. Crona was wondering if he would ever be able to handle this much all at once. While it might not seem like much to anyone else, if you were someone like Crona, who had just gone through a gambit of emotions (most of which he had trouble dealing with), you'd get it.

Yukari worried she'd come on too strong. Her idol knew almost nothing about her. Well, she would change that. But first, she had to convince him. "Is that so bad, dating someone like me?" she asked, giving him the patented 'puppy dog pout'.

Crona was actually immune to such things, but luckily (for Yukari, anyway), was still confused enough to respond positively "Err… Ummm…" came his initial intelligent response "as a friend?" even though he phrased it as a question, Yukari was more then willing to overlook that.

She threw her little arms around Crona and hugged him all over again "Yaaaay! I'm so happy!" she cried.

Moka just looked on, a sweatdrop building and an eye twitching. And if she had looked down, she'd have noticed her Rosary pulsing slightly, as though laughing at her plight.

After that, Yukari had skipped away, promising to see Crona later, while tactfully ignoring Moka completely. From there, the two had said their goodbyes, before going there separate ways for the rest of the evening. Their heads were too jumbled to really hang out. Moka just hoped that by tomorrow, everything was back to normal.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Moka was indeed feeling much better the next day as she walked to class. She had gone home and done the one thing that always made her feel better: Art. Drawing, painting, sketching, that sort of thing. After a few hours of sketching the landscape of Youkai Academy form memory, she had felt right as rain.

Moka had always found the delicate art to be relaxing, even if her other self, and in fact the rest of her family, disagreed. Moka came from a powerful family, one that was highly aristocratic. You would think they would appreciate the art. But alas, it was not so.

People in Moka's family were warriors, mob bosses, assassins or the like. None of them truly appreciated the subtly stroke of the brush, or the darkened lines of a charcoal drawing. It saddened her slightly, knowing deep down, the inner her was no better. Whereas she enjoyed the sent of fresh paint on canvas, the other her relished the smell of freshly spilt blood. She could find pleasure in using her hands to mold wet clay. Inner her loved to use her hands to beat her foes black and blue.

She sighed, pushing those thoughts from her head. She would find Crona, and then they would head off to the newspaper club. At least there the only thing she had to deal with was that damnably horny Succubus Kurumu. But Kurumu was a known entity, and one Moka was confident she could deal with. Not like that Yukari girl. While she was no stranger to puppy dog crushes; the younger girl had a vibe about her that screamed 'obsessive' to anyone who looked hard enough. That kind of thing could become dangerous if left unchecked. Moka wasn't sure how to deal with that…

Suddenly, Moka heard a disturbance from just around the corner. Some of the other students stopped in there tracks, some just staring while others tried to hide their snickers. Some didn't even try.

_**"Dammit girl, get the hell off me!" **_came Ragnarok's annoyed voice. The statement was followed by a series of childish giggles, the sound of which caused Moka's eyebrow to twitch as as the source of the noise walked toward her.

Crona was stumbling and bumbling down the hall, struggling to hold onto his bag. Every few seconds he'd call out to Yukari to knock it off, only to be ignored. Then he'd mutter about not being able to deal with something, before trying again.

Ragnarok was out in his muscular form, dealing with the pest known as Yukari. When he had first exited Crona that morning, he'd been tackled by the little brat. She was lucky he could differentiate her soul wavelength from Moka's, or she would have gotten a big fat fist to the face or worse. Crona had already told him of his decision to not kill the young witch girl until she showed a hint of being under the sway of madness. So far that hadn't happened, instead, the girl started swinging from his arms like monkey bars! Ragnarok was many things, but he was not a toy damn it!

Yukari pouted, not at all put out by Ragnarok's language. She knew he was just trying to put up a front in front all these students. She really was going to have to have a private chat with him soon. She would have done it yesterday, but she was too overwhelmed from meeting him. She was thinking about doing it this morning before school, but then she had seen Crona, and he had Ragnarok with him. And Ragnarok was so awesome and chibi all at the same time!

Yukari then giggled again, squeezing Ragnarok's bicep as he tried to shake her off. "Wow! Ragnarok's muscles are even bigger then they look!" she exclaimed, taking a bit of pleasure in watching the pink haired girl's eye twitch.

Moka watched as the girl jumped from Ragnarok to Crona, riding him piggy back style. She ran her hands through his hair, remarking "It's soooooo soft! This is like a dream!" she squealed. Moka took some comfort that the sudden human contact with the strange girl received Crona's usual rigid response. But at her squeal, she startled him, causing him to trip over his own feet, and crash to the floor.

Finally, Moka could take the girl's giggling no more "Yukari! What on earth are you doing!"

Yukari turned to face Moka "Please don't get in our way! I know all about you" Yukari said, her look suddenly becoming scathing.

Suddenly, she found the girl right in her face. Moka didn't like having people invader her personal space. Most of them had tried to rape her. And while she didn't think for a moment that was what Yukari intended, Moka still didn't like having to deal with people in her space.

"You and Crona are like the snapping turtle and the moon! You're way to different!" she said to Moka. Stepping back, she began to rattle off everything she knew about the older girl "Moka Akashiya, grades: relatively high; Athletic ability: average, which is surprising for someone whose supposed to be a member of one of the strongest races; no known hobbies or special abilities, except for your love of sucking poor Crona's blood. You're a picture perfect ordinary girl!"

That had surprised Yukari. When she had found out that Moka was a vampire, she was shocked. For all the touting of their superiority, this vampire seemed like such a weakling. And such a weak girl had no place at Lord Crona's side. It was clear to her that the man to bring down Lord Death and avenge the hardship of the witches would need strong women at his side. Women like herself. Perhaps if Moka had been stronger, Yukari might have considered it. As it was, the girl was clearly a weak parasite that needed to be removed from her Lord. Really, Lord Crona was being to generous to her. Perhaps he had a soft spot for damsels in distress? She had heard that he'd saved her from someone named Saizou.

Yukari shook her head, emerging from her thoughts. "I love Lord Crona" Yukari muttered, loud enough for only Moka to hear. The small girl reached into the folds of her long cloak "So I don't want my gorgeous Crona brought down into the dirt by someone like you!" she said, her voice picking up volume with each word. "That's why I'm declaring war on you!" she cried, taking the object she was searching for from her robes.

"Magical Wand!" she declared, showing off what appeared to be a children's toy. It was a pink and white heart shaped wand, with a six pointed star in the center of it.

Crona blinked. He hadn't seen a magical wand in quite a long time. They were used as training tools for younger witches, to channel their magic until they were older. At some point, most witches stopped using them, generally right after puberty. After that, it was easier to focus on their magic, and they no longer needed the medium. Some witches had been known to keep them though, for sentimental reasons.

Yukari waved the wand around her head, before pointing it at a nearby broom closest. "I'll make sure you never come close to Crona again!" Yukari declared.

Suddenly, the closest burst open, and half a dozen brooms flew toward Moka. Moka blinked as she jumped backwards to avoid a swipe to the face from the cleaning tool. Before long though, they had ganged up on her, and were smacking her all over. Crona tried to help her, but was held back by Ragnarok, who was laughing to hard.

"Whatever you're doing, please stop" Moka said, covering her head with her arms to shield herself "I don't know how to deal with evil brooms!"

Yukari smirked proudly "It's magic" she said, as though explaining it to child "I used magic with this magical wand in order to control the brooms!" she looked over at her Lord, happy to see the look in his eye. Ragnarok was clearly enjoying the show she was putting on, and Crona was clearly impressed by how well she was for her age. She didn't know it was because he was just somewhat stunned at the turn of events. Like Moka, he didn't know how to deal with malevolent brooms either.

"Because I'm a witch!" Yukari said proudly, holding her wand high "using magic, I'll fight off any girl that gets to close to Lord Crona!" she told the surrounded Moka. She was so happy. Being near **the **Crona gave her such inner strength!

_Isn't it against the school rules to reveal your true identity?_Crona wondered vaguely as the proud Yukari twirled happily around as her brooms danced.

Around the corner, slit eyes watched the display with contempt.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

"Yukari…Sendo?" Kurumu asked, making sure she had heard the name correctly.

"Yeah… she's totally a pain." Moka moaned, a bandage wrapped around her head. Her hair was disheveled, and a large bump was growing from her head where one particularly nasty broom had hit her.

After the brooms had exhausted themselves, Yukari had run off, giggling like the child she was. Moka had wanted to stay and be with Crona, but had found to her dismay that the despicable cleaning tools had torn several holes in her outfit. And while the idea of cuddling up to Crona in a such a state of dress might appeal to her big breasted rival, Moka just wasn't that type of girl. Yet. If the battle for Crona's heart ever got that serious, who could say. She had planned to meet up with Crona at the Newspaper club, only to discover him not there. Kurumu had informed her that Crona had stopped by, but had to leave when Ragnarok insisted on picking up some candy from the school store. The same school store that was on the opposite end of the campus. Moka could only sigh and walk in, because it was likely to be just her and the succubus for a while.

At least, being a fellow girl, she could listen to Moka complain about the horrible little girl that took great pleasure in being mean to her.

"If that girl has her way, I won't ever talk to Crona again" Moka lamented. With her head bowed in despair, she didn't see Kurumu doing a tiny dance of victory.

In her head, Kurumu was silently hoping the little witch could keep Moka away from Crona, allowing the succubus the chance of spending more alone time with him. The only problem was that, from what Moka said, Yukari fancied herself a contender for Crona's heart. And while Kurumu was sure she could beat the girl in the game of seduction (because how hard could it be to outdo an eleven year old), after seeing what happened to Moka, Kurumu was hesitant to approach Crona while the girl might be around. It wasn't that she was afraid mind you! It's just… those wounds looked really painful, and Kurumu wasn't sure she could deal with a beating like that.

Shaking her head, she looked down at her pink haired rival, who was even now muttering curses against the name Yukari Sendo. Suddenly, like the preverbal light bulb, the name struck a memory in the bluenette's head.

"I've heard rumors about that girl!" Kurumu said, getting Moka to look up at her. "Even though she's called a genius or whatever, it sounds like she's still a selfish little kid" Kurumu whispered conspiratorially, leaning into Moka's personal bubble. "I heard she's always playing pranks, and is hated by her class"

Moka blinked, that girl must be something to garner that type of reputation.

Of course, as the two girls chatted, they had no way of knowing that the subject of their conversation was sneaking outside the Newspaper Club window. Yukari pulled her had low to keep from being spotted, before glancing in the window.

There was her target, sitting with another girl; Kurumu the succubus. That was another girl that Yukari saw trying to leech off her Lord. The young witch grinned; with what she had planned, she'd be able to hit two birds with one stone.

"I'll totally destroy the closeness between Moka and Lord Crona for good!" she giggled menacingly. At least, as menacing as a giggle could be. From the folds of her robe she removed her newest weapon: The Magical Item Warawara! Now the real fun could begin. Yukari tested out her toy by twisting the arm…

Kurumu had been working on the Newspaper while listening to Moka mope when it happened. Moka's fist reared back and punched the pink haired girl in the face.

"Moka!" Kurumu cried out in alarm as the force of the blow propelled the vampire out of her chair. She may not like Moka, but even she was alarmed.

Hearing the shouts of shock inside, Yukari knew her Warawara was working. It had been easy to obtain a lock of Moka's hair. Some of it had gotten tangled in the brooms she'd sent after her earlier.

Of course, the object of all three girls affections had no idea of what was currently going on. After having to walk to the other end of the school to buy candy, or else spend the day listening to Ragnarok whine, Crona had finally reached the Newspaper room. During the walk, he'd given a lot of thought to what to do about Yukari, even going so far as to ask Ragnarok's advice. That turned out to be counterproductive, as his bloody partner's only response was to just gut her like a fish and swallow her soul. Deciding to not comment on that, Crona made his decision. Until he had seen clear cut evidence of malicious behavior, Yukari would live. He'd treat her just like he would any other student. If she really was just a sweet little girl, fine, they could be good friends. If she stepped off the path of righteousness though… Though now that Crona thought about it, he'd have to have a talk with her regarding his identity. He couldn't have her telling the whole world who he was….

As he approached the Newspaper club headquarters, he heard some commotion coming from beyond the door. What sounded like Moka's voice screaming "My body is moving by itself!" floated toward him.

"I wonder why the classroom is so noisy?" Crona wondered aloud, knowing he'd get no response from Ragnarok, who was happily munching on a bag of candy. A bag which Crona had had to pay for, but which Ragnarok would not share!

"Sorry for being late to the club! What's wrong Moka" Crona said, opening the door, what he saw taking a few seconds to catch up with his brain.

Moka was groping Kurumu's boobs. There was really nothing Crona or Ragnarok could think of that would describe it any better then that. He had just walked in, and there it was: Moka squeezing Kurumu's love jugs. He really, really, REALLY didn't know how to deal with that.

Moka was mortified when she saw Crona had entered the room. Somehow her body was moving against her will. It wasn't the scary kind of body-jacking though, like when her Inner briefly took over. Then again, she wasn't sure that would have been any worse. Kurumu had just been helping her up. She had wiped the blood from her nose, when she heard the door start to open. Then, like that noise was some kind of trigger, she'd lashed out and given Kurumu's big bouncy boobs a squeeze. The worse part was that she wasn't able to let go. Even now they were still latched to Kurumu's chest!

_**"Ummm…. Are we interrupting something?" **_Ragnarok asked. Yeah he was a pervert, but even this took him by some surprise.

"So sorry!" Crona said, quickly covering his eyes. "We'll come back later!" he told them, his voice seeming to go up several octaves as he turned and made to leave the room.

"Crona wait! It's not like that, my body's acting on it's own!" Moka yelled, trying desperately to regain control. Her efforts weren't helped by a laugh in the back of her head that sounded annoyingly like her inner self. Suddenly, one hand left Kurumu's chest, and flipped her skirt up, showing off her underwear!

Thankfully for her, it was Kurumu that leapt away from Moka, and made to go to Crona. Kurumu just wanted to latch onto Crona, and let him know it was okay to open his eyes. Plus, she didn't want him thinking she was unavailable because she might be with Moka! She didn't think he thought that, but it never hurt to make sure.

Outside, Yukari couldn't contain her laughter. The plan was working beyond her wildest dreams! And the best part? This was only the beginning…

"What was that sound?" Kurumu asked, honing in on the window as the source of the laughter.

Yukari's eyes widened. Crap! They had heard her! It was time to beat a hasty retreat before-

"Aren't you that Yukari girl?" Kurumu asked, as she snatched the little girl up before she could run off and pulled her through the window.

"Umm… hello…" Yukari said, trying to look innocent. This was made very difficult due to the fact that she still had the Warawara doll in her hand.

At the sight of the girl who was rapidly moving up the 'Moka's archenemy' list, the normally level headed pink haired girl started to see red. Her mood wasn't being helped by the sounds of laughter in the back of her mind; as her inner self had a good chuckle at her expense.

_**"How pathetic, being outwitted by a child. Don't worry though, once I take over, I'll make sure to punish her properly… after I get rid of Crona of course" **_Thankfully the last part of that statement the Inner Moka kept to herself. But what had been said was enough.

"Somebody do something about that girl!" She shouted, her face redder then a tomato, her eyes blazing with an unholy fury. Slowly, she advanced on the young witch, who had taken shelter behind a stunned silent Crona. "I'm totally pissed now" she growled, her hands making a strangling motion in the air, just about the right hight for an upstart eleven year old.

Seeing that the situation might literally turn murderous in a second, Crona tried his best to defuse the situation. "Moka… let's all just calm down" he muttered weakly. Okay, so his best wasn't very good in this case. Can you blame him? Frankly, he was almost starting to miss problems that could be solved with violence. Also, Yukari making faces at the pissed off vampire probably wasn't helping the situation.

Moka thought so at any rate. Knowing she couldn't reach her target, and possessing enough survival instincts to not try and get past Crona, Moka's anger had to be satisfied with words alone.

"You're too easy on her, Crona!" Moka exploded, not sure why Crona wouldn't let her punch the girl just the once. "You've got to tell her she's being a bother! I mean, it's best for Yukari's sake as well, right?" Moka said, trying to appeal to Crona's desire to help people.

Crona didn't know what to say to that. Technically Moka was right, but Crona was hesitant to say as much to Yukari. He didn't have any proof that she was malevolent, and right now she just seemed mischievous; something to be expected from someone her age. In the back of his mind, Crona wondered what it would have been like to grow up so carefree, to be… normal.

"Well… I wouldn't… I mean… I suppose in a since… but really… " Crona stumbled over his words, not sure what to say in a situation like this. He, you guessed it, didn't know how to deal with this!

But his words, or lack thereof, had an effect on Yukari. The young witch had expected Crona to come rushing to her aid, just like she imagined he would. Instead, he stood almost silent, as though he wanted to say something, but was too polite. And for the first time in a long time, Yukari worried if she was wrong about Crona. That thought was quickly beaten down, but it left behind another, perhaps worse thought: Was she a bother to Lord Crona?

She had never considered that. What if Crona already had a plan, and her presence was disrupting it? Oh god, what had she done? What if she had been so desperate for Lord Crona to like her, that she had inadvertently driven him away!

Moka, unaware of the mental turmoil going through the minds of the two in front of her, continued to rant. "If Yukari hangs out with just you, Crona, then wont she lose all her friends… and end up totally alone?" she asked. She had wondered if the girl had any friends to begin with, and if that was why she was so desperate to latch onto Crona, the first person to show her kindness. But really, what young girl had absolutely no friends?

Yukari flinched at that. Did the vampire know? Was that why she had said that? No… there was no meanness in her eyes, so she wasn't saying to to make fun of her. But that one question just added another batch of confusing thoughts to Yukari's head. She needed to leave and find someplace to think. If she really had displeased her Lord Crona, she had to find away to make it right by him.

"I don't mind" Yukari whispered, but the three words were caught by the others. "I'm sorry, but I don't want such low-ability friends." she said.

Moka felt her eyebrow twitch. Now this girl was calling her low ability! She was a vampire dammit! Okay, she couldn't use most of her power, but really…

Kurumu didn't react to the statement. For most of the argument she had stood off to the side. This wasn't her fight, so she had nothing to say. She did find it kind of funny that this little girl could get such a rise out of her rival. Normally she might make a snide comment to that effect, but something inside her told her to be silent, watch and wait.

"Besides…" Yukari whispered drawing everyone from their thoughts. The girl had her head bowed, making it hard to see her face. That said, Crona got a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that something unpleasant was about to happen.

"Besides, I…" Yukari looked up, showing eyes filled with tears "I've always, always been alone!"

Moka suddenly felt terrible for what she had said. Even her inner self had stopped making comments. The taller girl stepped toward Yukari, ready to place a hand on her shoulder. Maybe she and Yukari could work through their differences and-

At that moment Yukari smirked, and a second later, a large basin fell on top of Moka's head.

"Ahahahaha! I gotcha, I gotcha!" she cheered, dancing around in a mini-victory dance.

"Why you little…." Moka shouted, steam practically coming out of her ears. It was official; young or not, Moka was going beat her senseless. Trick her would she? Call her a low ability monster ey? Fine! Moka would suck the witch dry, then who would be laughing? Huh?

Deep inside, something stirred to Moka's anger.

Just as Moka was about to chase after Yukari, who realized now was the time to beat a hasty retreat, Crona stepped in front of her.

"Move Crona! I'm gonna show that girl the true meaning of pain when I-

"Moka, stop" Crona said, his voice like steel. His eyes were hard as he leveled a glare at his first friend at the Academy.

"Why are you mad at me!" Moka asked incredulously. Why was Crona defending this girl?

"I want to you just leave her alone Moka" Crona said, his tone booking no argument. That girl… she was so alone… just like him. How could he not sympathize?

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

_"That girl's just eleven…." _

_"She's so bratty! Why do we have to be in the same class as that baby!" _Yukari kept running, Moka's words about her being alone brining back all sorts of unpleasant memories.

_"And she wears that disgusting witch costume!" _

_"Witches aren't monsters are they? They're closer to humans right?" _the cruel words said to her by the other students. The insults to her heritage as a witch. Being compared to a despicable **human**.

_"You have no right to be at this Academy! Get out of here!" _Being told she didn't belong, and after awhile, starting to wonder if… maybe they were right?

"I don't mind… being alone." Yukari tried to reassure herself. But she knew it was a lie. She did mind. She hated being alone. That was one of the reasons she had clung to Crona so desperately. Not just because he was a legend to her. Not just because of what he meant to her as a witch. But because he was someone who could understand her, and make the feelings of loneliness go away.

Yukari was so absorbed in her thoughts that she never noticed the figure in front of her until she had already slammed into them.

"Owww, stupid! Why don't you look where you're going!" Yukari shouted impulsively. She knew that it was really her fault, but she was in a bad mood and didn't really want to admit it.

"You're the one that bumped into me, Yukari" the figure said in an all to familiar voice. Finally looking up at the person she had bumped into, Yukari's eye's grew wide with fear at the sight of the Class Representative.

He glowered down at her, a smirk on his face "How rude, you're a shame to the Academy." he said, taking a step towards her, his cronies hanging back behind him.

"Class representative-" Yukari said, trying to think of something to say to get her out of the trouble she was obviously in.

He leaned in close to her, making her very uncomfortable "Remember when you disgraced me in front of all those students earlier?" he asked her, though she knew he wasn't expecting an answer "I'll never forgive you for that!" he snapped.

Yukari felt his aura start to change, and she realized he was about to release his true form.

"I've been waiting to **get you alone!" **

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

"Just forget about Yukari!" Moka insisted, trying desperately to stop Crona from going after the kid.

"But I-" Crona tried to insist, looking to Ragnarok for backup, only to find his blood buddy eating the snacks Kurumu had brought to the club. Speaking of the Succubus, she was busy examining the basin that had hit Moka in the head, wondering where it had come from.

"She's really made me suffer a lot! Why is it you're taking her side!" Moka questioned. That girl had been all over Crona, much to his obvious discomfort. Why was he choosing to defend her now? Was it because of what she had said about being alone?

Crona sighed, rubbing his arm like did sometimes when he got flustered or nervous. The truth was that Yukari's words had hit a nerve. He could relate to feeling alone; the feeling of having no one to be your friend. That kind of feeling was… maddening. And when Maka, a girl he was trying to kill, offered him friendship, the elation he had felt was indescribable. Maybe, if he could do that for Yukari, he could change her life just as drastically. At the very least, he'd be able to cement her status on the side of "not evil".

That's when he felt it. On the edge of his Soul Perception, he felt several monster's flare their wavelengths, indicating a transformation. Normally this was nothing, but it was the other soul in the monster's midsts that set him on edge. Yukari was there. Her soul, that of a witch, was distinctive, and easy to locate once he had seen it the one time. Focusing slightly, he tuned out Moka's rant about Yukari bullying her to try and identify the souls around the young witch. It was the Class Representative and the other boys he had been with! She was in trouble, and he had to get to her. Informing Ragnarok, he had the little demon start preparing for the coming fight, something Ragnarok was all to happy to do.

"Moka, it's not like that!" Crona said in a tone that came as close to raising his voice as the two girls had ever heard him. "I know she's been mean to you, and I don't support that. But can't you understand Yukari's feelings? Don't you feel the least bit sorry for her?" he asked. Moka opened and closed her mouth several times, looking like she was struggling for something to say. Crona just held up his hand, silencing any argument before it began "Right now, Yukari's in trouble. I'm going to go help her. You don't have to help me. I'll be back later" Crona said simply in that monotone of his. After he'd said his piece, black wings burst from his back, and he took off.

"Crona wait, I…" Moka trailed off, watching him fly off. How did he know Yukari was in trouble? And why wasn't he taking her with him? Okay, that was easy; she wasn't exactly a good fighter. But that didn't mean she couldn't help! Maybe it was because he thought she hated Yukari? Well… she didn't like her, but if the girl was in trouble, that was different!

Kurumu wasn't any happier about being left behind, but something told her to just wait. There was a time and place, and this was not it. Turning to face her rival in love, she saw that the vampire looked stressed. Kurumu couldn't blame her, with everything that had been going on today alone. Who knew one little witch could cause so much ruckus?

"Poor kid, must be hard being a witch" Kurumu muttered more to herself then anything. Moka heard though, and turned to face her "But I guess that's what happens when you're one of the hated races" she said with a shrug.

Moka blinked at that "Huh? Hated race…?" she asked in confusion. Kurumu turned to her, surprised she didn't know what she was referring to. To be fair, as a vampire, Moka hadn't had a lot of contact with outside races. Her family was to proud to associate with any race of beings they considered 'lower' then their own. Which meant pretty much everyone. As such, Moka's knowledge on such things was pretty limited.

"Don't you know? Look, it's hard to tell if a 'witch' is a supernatural or a human being, right! Long ago, they were called the 'Boundary Beings' that connected the human and supernatural worlds. But today, their race is called half-breeds, and they are discriminated against!" Kurumu quickly explained, watching as Moka's face paled with each word

"On top of that, it seems they're hated in the human world too! In the middle ages, there were things called 'Witch Hunts' where many witches were killed by humans. I've even heard rumors that there's an entire Academy that trains human to hunt and kill creatures like Witches!" Kurumu finished her quick lecture.

_"Witch hunts…" _Moka thought in disgust. Another reason to hate horrible humans. She just hoped that whoever Crona's human friend was, that they weren't like that.

"You know, that girl may have really been all alone until now!" Kurumu commented off handedly, seeing Moka get a far away look in her eye. Personally, Kurumu had no problem with Yukari or witches in general. They had little to do with the Succubi, and Yukari wasn't a threat to her being Crona's Destined One. So Kurumu was all for live and let live as long as Yukari didn't try and pull anything with her.

_"Alone… just like I was!" _Moka thought, flashing back to her own childhood. And it was at that point, that Moka started to realize that maybe she needed to reevaluate her opinion on the girl after all…

At that moment, a feeling raced through both Moka and Kurumu. As one they looked in the direction they felt a pulse. Crona was there. They weren't sure how they knew, but they just did.

Kurumu's wings snapped out of her back in an instant, and before Moka could say anything, she found herself being scooped up and carried in the direction that resonated with the girls.

When asked later why she had help Moka, Kurumu would respond "I don't know why I did it, it just felt… right…"

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Yukari cried out in pain as she slammed into a tree, her tormentors advancing on her. Looking down on her, Eki smirked, his face half transformed. **"So disgusting! A witch is a disgusting being!"** he said, his teeth starting to elongate as his skin took on a greenish tint.

His back hunched he continued **"Understand, we have no need for a girl like you in our class!" **he snarled his eyes becoming slits.

**"Why don't I rid this Academy of you!" **he hissed sinisterly, his transformation, as well as those of you companions, now complete. Every one of them now looked like man sized Lizard-People!

Yukari could feel her heart pounding, her adrenaline was kicking in. She pulled out her Magic Wand, spells that could save her running through her mind. But before she had the chance to do anything, Eki snapped his head forward, catching the wand in his jaws.A simple tug pulled it out of her hand.

**"What should we do with her?" **Eki asked his pals, munching on the wand.

The one of the left spoke first **"Let's eat her up! The fog is thick, so no one will ever know." **he said, horrifying Yukari.

_"My wand! If I don't have my wand, I can't use magic!" _she thought forlornly, once again regretting her youth. If she was older, she wouldn't need it.

Eki smirked, tossing away the last of the wand. **"That sounds good! We should eat her up!" **he roared, lunging toward Yukari, jaws wide.

_"Someone, please help me! Crona save me!" _Yukari thought desperately, though deep down she was running low on hope.

_**"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA" **_the scream echoed in the clearing, the high pitched sound driving Eki back away from Yukari, and the weaker Lizard Men to their knees.

"Keep your hands off Yukari" Crona said, stepping into the clearing, Ragnarok on his shoulders closing his widened mouth which was no doubt the source of the scream.

Eki frowned when he saw who had just interrupted his fun. "Damn, so it's you again... Crona. You've caught us at a bothersome time…" he said, snapping his fingers.

Yukari was feeling mixed emotions inside her. On the one hand, Lord Crona had come to save her! On the other, what must he think of her: some pathetic little kid that he had to constantly rescue? How was she going to earn his love and respect if he saw her as such a weakling?

Crona must have sensed what she was thinking, because he looked her right in the eye as he spoke "It's going to be ok. I'll put myself on the line for you, Yukari" he told her. _"After all Maka, wouldn't you do the same for me?" _he thought.

Ragnarok decided to add his own two cents to the conversation _**"Geez brat, don't try and act tough! If you need our help so bad just ask for it." **_he said, for a moment almost sounding nobel. The effect was ruined a moment later _**"But you'd better be ready to pay up later! I'm gonna expect a bag of candy for every guy I gotta save you from!" **_he said with a smirk.

Crona sighed at Ragnarok's words, deciding that they were counter productive "Yukari… you say you love me, which I really don't know how to deal with. But… what I think you really want is for someone to be kind to you, right?" He asked her, much to her shock. "I think, maybe you play pranks because you want someone to pay attention to you." Yukari wished she could run to him, but Eki still had a firm grip on her. For some reason, none of the Lizard men had attacked them, which was weird for a group about to brutally murder a child.

And then Crona said the words that would assure Yukari's loyalty to him for the rest of her life "You've always been alone, right Yukari. I understand that. It's hard to deal with, isn't it?" he asked with his soft smile "I too used to always be alone. That's why I want to help you, and also why I could never ever leave you alone, Yukari!" Crona said, almost raising his voice at the end. Which for him was like shouting from the rooftops.

The Lizard Men were not quite as impressed. Well, it wasn't for them now was it? Maybe they were just jealous no one was making a passionate speech for them? Either way, two of them charged Crona, who surprisingly looked completely unafraid. "What are you blathering about? Are you trying to insult us by ignoring us!" they roared.

Ragnarok just popped his knuckles, hoping for a good fight. Looking down at Crona, the two began to resonate their wavelengths _**"Man Crona, what a flowery speech, it makes me want to cry" **_Ragnarok said in a mocking sad voice, before hunching over and pretending to barf.

Yukari watched the two lizard men charge her Lord, knowing they were doomed to fail. But… she still wanted to help! She wanted to prove her worth to Lord Crona, to show she was more then just some kid! That was why, in the heat of the moment, she leaned forward and bit Eki's hand as hard as she could. Which, for a little girl with most of her baby teeth, was really really hard!

At least Eki must have thought so, because he immediately flew into a rage. "Ow! What do you think you're doing, you little brat!" he roared, making the other fighters stop just before they'd begun to watch as Eki's clawed hand prepared to make mincemeat out of Yukari. Crona's eyes widened in horror, knowing that even his fastest bloody needle wouldn't reach them in time! All this time he'd been focusing on protecting Yukari, using that desire to strengthen his wavelength, only to fail now?

"Watch out!" a feminine voice called out, just before a blur of pink and blue flashed through Crona's field of vision. The pink blur snatched Yukari from the CR's grip at the last moment, though the claws appeared to score a glancing blow on her savior.

Crona's eyes widened. So far, he'd only met one person at Youkai Academy who had pink hair! "Moka!" he cried, his wavelength fluctuating. This made Ragnarok grin (the wavelength thing, not the Moka being hurt thing. Ragnarok didn't really want to see **her** hurt). Crona was always way more violent when he was trying to be all 'nobel', which was an improvement in his opinion.

Yukari looked stunned as the girl she had not so long ago tormented grasped her shoulder in pain. She was in pain because she'd gotten an injury saving the little witch's life! But, why…

"Why Moka? Why are you here?" Yukari asked, desperate to understand.

Moka just grinned at her through the pain. It was already fading, and it wasn't as bad as it looked. "I'm sorry about before…" she started, ignoring Yukari's question for the moment "If I had understood you a little better, Yukari… " Moka shook her head, mentally reprimanding herself. After a childhood spent alone, she should have been able to identify with this girl right away! "So don't… think of yourself as aloe anymore." She said, looking Yukari in the eyes with conviction. Yukari could hardly believe it! Another person who wanted to be her friend, and make sure she didn't have to be alone any more? Was this a dream?

Unfortunately, the nice moment was ruined by the uncouth Lizard man known as Eki, who was feeling a little left out. Frankly, he found himself even more annoyed that yet more people had showed up to distract him from his goal of killing an eleven year old.

"Not another one!" he roared, advancing on Moka and Yukari. "Don't take me lightly you weaklings! I'll make mincemeat out of you!" he got ready to lung at them, his claws bared. Yukari closed her eyes in reflex, while Moka tried to think of something she could do. Her strength in her sealed state might be a match for the Lizard Man if she used it right, the only problem was getting close enough that she wasn't shredded by those claws. Kurumu hovered above, ready to strike if an opportunity presented itself. Unlike Crona or Moka, her succubus body wasn't made for heavy combat. A single good blow could take her out. She'd have to work on that.

Just before he lunged though, another roar tore through the air. But unlike Eki's roar of anger, this was a roar of pain.

"What is this" the head lizard wondered, the sound of one of his comrades in pain drawing his attention.

The Lizard that stood between Eki and the lizard closest to Crona was holding his knees as he started to weep in pain. "Boss, it's my legs! I can't move them! It's like something's inside them!" he called out, fear lacing his words. It was true, looking closely at his friends legs, he could see something moving beneath the surface, like hordes of tiny snakes. This couldn't be the work of that witch, he'd snapped her wand. And as far as he knew, Moka nor the other girl had that kind of power. That only left…

"What did you do?" he growled, glaring at Crona. The blood fiend had disappeared, and a broadsword had taken its place. But the voice that came from it showed that Ragnarok had transformed when he wasn't looking.

_**"Hell yeah, Bloody Shadow is a successes!" **_he cried, getting confused looks from both his friends and enemies. As they watched, the ground in Crona's shadow darkened, before a thin layer of Black Blood appeared. But unlike his normal shadow, this one was unnaturally long compared to how his shadow should look, given the time of day. It also had a large smile, which was very disconcerting on a shadow, which should, if you are unaware, not have any mouth at all. It also didn't behave like a normal shadow. Right now, Crona had his arms down, while his shadow had its arms stretched out to end under the frightened Lizard Man. Said lizard struggled to get away, but his legs still wouldn't move. Crona, being Crona, decided to do the polite thing and explain. He did so by lifting up his right foot, revealing a hole in the bottom of his shoe, through which a band of black blood as thick as his wrist shot out, and went into the base of his shadow. The shadow, who's hands were connected to the underside of the Lizard man's feet. When he did, the helpless Lizard Man's right leg buckled, as though something were pulling down on it. Everyone realized what had happened. Crona had sent his blood through and across the ground, and connected it to the Lizard man's foot.

The shadow Crona grinned, before tugging it's arms down towards its waist. The man connected to the shadow screamed as the blood, both his own and the black, were forcibly removed from his legs. The yanking motion knocked him down, and the painful experience knocked him out. It was for the best, he probably didn't want to see the state his legs were in. Suffice to say, if he lived through this, a trip to the infirmary was defiantly in order.

Before his leader could say anything, the last Lizard Man decided to bolt. As he took off in a sprint, the shadow Crona quickly followed. Powered by its creator's wavelength, it quickly outpaced the lizard, getting ahead of him. That was when the Crona shadow stood up, it form shifting from 2D to 3D. It swelled slightly, and expanded, it's features shifting until an exact replica of Crona stood in front of its prey. Well, not really exact, it was still solid black like Crona's blood, but aside from that, it was very good. Sorta like if someone had carved his likeness out of black stone. Then granted that likeness an unholy life and sent it to hunt down a foolish monster who had started a fight he couldn't even finish. Yeah, just like that.

"The Blood Clone seems to be working too" Crona said, slightly surprised. He had to admit, when Ragnarok had first ordered him to try out that move, he'd been skeptical. But seeing the how well the Bloody Shadow had worked out had made him change his mind. It wasn't perfect though, he could tell from here. Its movements were wobbly, and the thing itself was hollow, meaning a solid hit would be all it took to dispel it. He watched as the Clone reared back and punched the boy right in the face, it's blood arm hardening to maximum density to deliver quite an impressive left hook. The Lizard Man must have had either a glass jaw, or he was a really weak monster; because he dropped like a sack of potatoes.

Eki could hardly believe it, his friends, taken out in nearly an instant. Glaring at Crona, watching as the blood clone returned to its liquid form and flew back into Crona, madness started to overcome fear.

"What the hell are you!" he demanded, leaping at Crona. Crona just stared at him, his eyes like steel. A flick of his wrist, and Ragnarok had chained into a Morning Star. A chain with a spiked ball on top, Crona used a second flick of the wrist to send the pointy ball of pain scramming (literally since it was Ragnarok's head) at the last remaining Lizard.

The ball curved in mid air, circling the Lizard like a lasso, the spike portion hitting Eki's clenched teeth; teeth which subsequently, shattered. A pull sent the reptile crashing to earth, though he somehow managed to work his way back to his feet. Crona frowned. It would be so easy to kill him here and now. A single thought would cause the chain wrapped around him to sprout large spikes and skewer him. But… a glance to over the lizard's shoulder let him see that Moka, Yukari, and Kurumu were all watching his fight with awe. He didn't want them to know he was a killer. Not yet anyway. Maybe never.

With a sigh, and despite Ragnarok's pleas for a bloody massacre, he gave the Morning Star a sharp pull. The chain instantly shortened and unwound from around his captive. It did so at such speeds, that the cold blooded monster was sent spinning like a top.

"Moka, Kurumu, you finish him." Crona said simply. Those two would be able to take him down in a less lethal manner then Crona could. While other monsters he'd faced had taken quite a beating to put down, these three had just been pathetic. Murderous bastards who deserved to be punished, but pathetic none the less.

Moka, seeing the Eki stumbling around, reacted on instinct. Stepping foreword, she snapped her leg up, catching the dazed lizard right under his jaw. The blow was apparently strong enough to send him soaring up into the air. For some reason, Moka felt the strong urge to say 'know your place'. An urge which she chose to suppress.

Kurumu grabbed the guy as he reached the peak of his unscheduled flight via Air-Moka, and flew towards the ground at top speed. At the last second, she turned and flew back into the air, minus her passenger. Him, she had let hit the ground at top speed. Frankly, she almost felt insulted. The guy was pretty much down for the count when he got to her! The next time they had a battle, she'd have to ask Crona to let her go earlier in the fight. Frankly, she wasn't sure either she, nor Moka needed to be there at all. But all the same, something inside her resonated to Crona's aura. Something which demanded she be as close to him as possible, as often as possible.

Landing, she gave Crona one of her best smiles. He gave her a light smile back, and thanked her for her help. She could almost feel her heart melting in her breast. Turning to look at the other two conscious people in the clearing she decided to see if they were alright.

"Hey, Moka! Yukari! Are you okay?" she asked, seeing the witch bow her head.

"Why…?" Yukari asked softly "After I've done such horrible things to you?" she started shaking with repressed tears "Why? Why did you come for someone like me?" she asked desperately, looking up at Moka. Crona she could understand. He would always help a witch in need, but this vampire? Why?

Moka just stared at her for a moment, before her face shifted into a gentle grin "From now on, let's be friends, ok? You aren't alone anymore Yukari" she said.

Yukari couldn't believe it! This girl, she still wanted to be her friend! Suddenly, she couldn't keep her emotions in check anymore. To the shock of everyone else, Yukari burst into tears, and started weeping in joy. Frankly, this was something none of them new how to deal with.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

After her long cry, Yukari feinted, emotionally exhausted from the day's events. The group dropped her off at her room, which they found the location of thanks to Neko-sensei. After that, Crona had walked the two girls back to their rooms, said all the pleasant good nights, and left, to go back to his room for all the girls knew.

Only that's not where he went. The first place he went after he was alone (well, relatively speaking) was the location of the fight. Justice would need to be measured out after all.

Instead of finding three Lizard Men, he found one. Eki, as well as the boy he had knocked out with his Bloody Clone were gone. By the looks of the footprints leading away from the fight, he figured the boy was helping Eki walk. Crona was actually surprised he could even move, after all the damage that had been done to him.

The only one left was the boy who's legs he had destroyed with his Bloody Shadow. He was partially awake, groaning on his side. Crona frowned, his friends had left him there in a time of need. Some pack. Oh well, his misery would be over soon. A quick slice from Ragnarok separated the head from the shoulders in a single swing. Crona quickly had Ragnarok consume his soul and then went looking for his quarry.

Crona had decided that only Eki need suffer the worst. His two goons would receive quicker ends. He had considered doing the same with Tamao's mermaid friends, but had decided against it. The number of mermaids he'd have to exterminate would be far to noticeably, even for this school. But he'd be watching them, that was for sure. He was keeping his ears open for any news about deaths or attacks at the school pool.

The second one was easy to locate. Crona had taken to the air, using his Dragon wings to stay high in the sky. Since he was only using them for flight, and wasn't engaged in combat, he was able to hide his wavelength rather well. The boy must have just left Eki because he was alone, probably heading to his own room. A bloody needle to the base of his neck served his spine, paralyzing him. From there, it was easy to swoop down and finish him. Once his body dissolved, he followed his senses to Eki's room.

Going through the window, he waited for Eki to walk in. He didn't have to wait long, as Eki walked in from the bathroom almost immediately. He was limping slightly, and was in no shape to fight. Good. He tried to call out, but a tentacle of Black Blood wrapped around his mouth, keeping him from calling for help. Two needles pinned his hands to the wall, and another two pinned his feet to the floor.

Relaxing the tentacle slightly, he tightened it back up almost instantly when Eki cried out in pain. Walking up to him, Crona readied his sword.

"Eki… uh… what's your last time again?" Crona asked, realizing he had never been formerly introduced to Eki, only knowing his first name from hearing it muttered in the crowd when they'd first met.

Crona shrugged, he supposed the last name wasn't that important, but in the future, he'd have to make sure to find out the names of people he killed.

"Eki, you have left the path of light. Today, you attempted to brutally murder an innocent child. Do you deny this?" he asked, his tone daring Eki to try and talk his way out of this. Not like he could though, even if he tried. "You are a awful, cruel bully Eki. I will not stand for it. I won't allow you to treat people that way, especially someone I call a friend, like that anymore." Crona said with an air of finality.

"Eki, your soul is mine!" Crona declared, plunging his sword into Eki's chest. He and Ragnarok had decided it would be for the best if Ragnarok didn't scream this time. The last thing they needed was to wake the whole dorm building. Eki could only gasp and moan as the sword pierced his heart, ending his life in a painful fashion. A few moments later, Crona collected his soul, and left without a trace.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

The next day Crona and Kurumu were delivering supplies the club room. Kurumu was busy telling Crona all the juicy school gossip she'd heard. Crona didn't actually care much for gossip, and Kurumu knew this herself. But if she didn't talk, she knew Crona wouldn't. And then they'd be forced to walk in awkward silence, alone with their thoughts. And Kurumu didn't want to be alone with her thoughts while she was physically alone with Crona. If that happened, she wasn't sure she'd be able to control herself for very long. Crona just had that effect on her; another sign that he was her Destined One.

"Yukari really has changed into a good girl! I heard she apologized in front of her whole class for playing pranks all the time." she told him, making Crona give a soft smile in return. He was happy to hear that Yukari was staying on the path of goodness. "It sounds like everyone's mood has become more thoughtful. And she's getting more sociable bit by bit" Kurumu continued.

Crona nodded as they reached their destination. "Yukari is really growing up" he half whispered, glad to know that Yukari would never have to be alone again. It also helped that the once impulsive girl was finally showing a higher level of maturity.

Opening the door, the two stopped and blinked. Inside, Moka was desperately trying to pry a smiling, giggling Yukari off her chest. The little imp had her arms wrapped tightly around her in a death grip, her head pressed firmly against Moka's cleavage. The also walked in just in time for Yukari's declaration to Moka:

"Moka, I wuvvv youuuu!" she said, hearts practically dripping from her words.

"umm… Yukari?" Crona said, drawing the girls attention.

If possible, the girls grin widened even more. Her cheeks flushed red as she addressed them (well, mostly just Crona) "Good afternoon! I was just admitted into the newspaper club today!" she said with absolute glee "Please help me with everything okay!"

_"NEW CLUB MEMBER!" _Was the general thought going through the minds of the three.

Yukari's blush deepened, and she started fiddling with the hem of her skirt "It's just… I love Lord Crona!" she said, looking into Crona's embarrassed eyes "And then I fell in love with Moka too…" she added. Her eyes glanced at Kurumu, but she quickly looked away. She did have a slight crush on the succubus, but it wasn't anywhere close to what she felt for Lord Crona, or to a lesser extent, Moka. The succubus had helped save her life like Moka had, but she didn't really connect to Kurumu on an emotional level like she and Moka had.

Crona looked away, rubbing his shoulder as he tried to figure out how to deal with this new development. Moka had just developed a twitch under her eye. Not only was this girl going to compete for Crona's affections (which in her opinion, would be a wasted effort on the witch's part), now she loved her too? This was too much!

"Anyway, let's all be lovey dovey together!" she said, leaping at Crona. Before she could rap her arms around him though, Ragnarok burst out and caught her. He held her at arms length, glaring at her.

_**"No way brat! Harem's full! We are not taking your application at this time!" **_he said, making Yukari pout.

"What do you mean full! There's only two other girls in it! Why can't I join!" she demanded.

_**"You're way too young brat. I don't need Crona developing 'that' kind of reputation." **_he said seriously. _**"Besides" **_he added, poking Yukari in the chest _**"you're flat as an ironing board! Only the hottest girls allowed you hear!" **_he said, giving on last poke to Yukari's woefully flat chest. Yukari clenched her fists. How dare Ragnarok bring up her small chest! She would develop dammit!

"Ragnarok, you really shouldn't say things like that!" Crona tried to intervene. He wasn't really comfortable having Yukari say such things about him either, but there was no need to be rude about it.

_**"Are you kidding me? She's even flatter then that Maka girl!" **_Ragnarok declared.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Maka had been talking to Soul about the preparations they needed to make for their next mission. It was supposed to be important, so they had to make sure they were well prepared.

Suddenly, Maka developed a twitch in her forehead, and her fist clenched tightly, her knuckles audibly popping beneath her patented white gloves.

Soul noticed the change in his meister's mood, and decided to ask her what was wrong. "Hey, Maka are you-

"God dammit my breasts are not small!" Maka roared, punching Soul right in the face with such force that he flew backwards straight through a window. Unfortunately, they were on the seventh floor. Looks like that important mission was going to have to wait….

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Kurumu just watched as little Yukari chased Moka and Crona around the room. All the while arguing with Ragnarok about whether or not she could 'join Lord Crona's harem'. Kurumu just shook her head in embarrassment.

Crona though didn't really have his mind set on running away. Right now, he was thinking more about the conversation he was going to have with Yukari about his identity. A conversation they were going to be having very soon…

**End Chapter **


	6. Dealing with a Gorgon

**Greetings my Freaky Darlings, how have you all been? I hope this chapter finds you well! I must apologize for being so late with this post, but I promise I have a good reason! I have recently started college, and that takes up a good deal of time. Luckily, I have managed to find enough time to finish this chapter, and I hope it meets your standards. **

**Last time, everyone responded very well to the role reversal involving Yukari's crush, which is good. Now, I know I promised we'd have our big Crona-Yukari talk this chapter, and I'm proud to say that is true... mostly. You see, such a big thing can't really be done all at once (at least not without being its own chapter). So whta I've decided to do is break them up into several smaller conversations, which I find more realistic. After all, Yukari is only a little girl, and could only handle so much ground breaking information at one time. **

**Rant 1: For goodness sakes, even dead Medusa won't leave poor Crona alone! Now she's haunting him in hallucination form! Also, anyone else catch the little McGuffin? That ring Maka's dad gives her? Yeah, that's it. Five bucks says that that ring, which can block madness, is used to help Crona. If it doesn't instantly snap him out of it, it'll lower his crazy enough for her to talk him (because to me Crona will always be a guy) down. Then, perhaps the two (three counting Soul) can go help battle the Kishin ON THE MOON! What an interesting place for a final battle. **

**Well, why don't I answer some reviews real quick?**

**Zoomatron: Glad I'm winning you over. Yukari's understanding of Crona, and the truth behind him, won't all take place this chapter, but rather will be spread out over several chapters.**

**pyromania101: If there's one thing Crona knows well, it's killing. Inner Moka has a bigger part this chapter, but it's not a positive.**

**NightmareSyndrom: Yes, I find it rare to have it happen. The talk with Yukari will be... well, it won't all be covered this chapter. And Ragnarok is a lot of fun to write. He doesn't have much to say this chapter though...**

**Majin Hentai X: Thank you. Yes, it's amazing what kind of mental hoops fangirls will jump through for their idols. She will have to confront some things about him, but not all of that is covered in this chapter.**

**Draco Oblivion: Glad you really enjoyed the last chapter. This one is more dramatic then comedic, but hey, everything has a time and place.**

**Random Fanfic Fan: Glad to know you've enjoyed it thus far. I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations.**

**Warmaster Samiel: Thank you. Yup, Crona's personality has definately rubbed off on the girls, just a bit.**

**crona maka (): Will he use magic? Well... you see... hmm...**

**Fan-Anon: Well here you go! I hope you enjoy it.**

**(): I apologize if it seemed choppy, but that was due to numerous re-writes. Some things are harder to write then we first expect them to be.**

**halberd42: Glad you liked it. Yes, Moka won't always have it easy in my story, but that's part of life (and frankly none of the characters will get off lightly).**

**RobbyTheRouge: Thank you. I tried really hard to handle Yukari correctly, and even now I still worry. I've decided to spread her and Crona's 'Inconvinant Truth' conversations out over several chapters, instead of all at once.**

**FanReaderWriter: Never fear, I am still here! I am looking forward to Mizore (she and Kurumu tied as my favorite female in the cast), and I have some things planned for her. As for tainting Yukari with the Black Blood... I can't say yet.**

**darkhero what must be done: You'd think. Must have slipped his mind. Frankly, I think the old reaper's probably gone demented in his old age...**

**Orchamus: Thank you. Crona's personality is difficult to nail down, but when he's good, he's generally very endearing. When he's bad... don't get in his way. And this chapter we'll have more Inner Moka.**

**Ultimate-Zelda-Fan: Well, that's not this chapter, but it wll be coming up.**

**(): I'm glad you've liked it. I hope you like this one too.**

**Kel'thuzad The Summoner: I'm sure you'll learn to cope (though I wonder if Crona ever will?)**

**The Infamous Man: Thank you. Well, him and Yukari are going to have many conversations. Some will end well, some... not so much.**

**Well, that's all of the reviews, now here's an **

**IMPORTANT NOTICE: **

**Inner Moka and Outer Moka will be interacting a lot this chapter. To lower any confusion which might take place when the two talk to each other, Inner Moka will be refered to as I-Moka, and Outer Moka will be refered to as O-Moka. **

**Also, I feel the need to warn you that some of the content of this chapter will get a bit... unpleasent. It's not done for shock value, and it won't raise the rating on the story, but... it is there. Let's just say, Inner Moka can be a bitch. **

**Now, enough of me yammering, let's get to what you all came here for, and dive right into the latest chapter of:  
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_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_**Chapter 6: Dealing With A Gorgon  
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In a secret school, monsters were trained to live out their lives in the world of humans. This was Youkai Academy. Inside this great institution, one first year student, Crona Gorgon sat in quite contemplation. He wasn't thinking about his grades (which were fairly average, if you wanted to know), or even about a possible birthday (he had never celebrated it, and in fact, didn't even know for sure when his birthday was). No, instead of he was thinking of a conversation he had had only the day before. A conversation with eleven year old witch, Yukari Sendo.

_-Flashback!-_

Crona sighed, knocking on the door before him. He was really nervous about this, but he knew it had to be done. He had gone to Yukari's room right after everyone had gone home. He was the last to leave the Newspaper room tonight, because Gin had insisted everyone come up with a topic to do an article about. He had offered to submit some of his poetry, and had even given a sample to Gin. Gin must have liked it, because he'd gotten really pale, and had to sit down right afterwards. He'd said that he'd think about it, but that he should come up with a secondary topic just in case.

It had taken much longer then he'd thought it would, and before he'd known it, he was the last one there. Normally he would have walked the girls back to their rooms, but since it worked out for his plans, he wasn't going to complain.

Now though, he was starting to have second thoughts. What if he couldn't convince Yukari? What if she hated him when she found out what he had done? Would he have to kill her? To do so after only saving her not to long ago would have been very troubling, and not something he wanted to deal with. But, if it came to that…

"Yukari, it's me, Crona. We need to talk" he said, after knocking again. He heard a rustling on the other side, and a moment later, Yukari opened the door, her eyes almost as wide as her smile.

"Lord Crona, please come in!" she said happily. She couldn't believe it, Lord Crona had come to visit her! Wait! her mind began to spin as it thought of possible reasons to explain this. While it was nice to think it was because he was there to express his undying love for her, something in her gut told her that wasn't it….

Crona took the offered chair, and turned down Yukari's offer of snacks (something which made Ragnarok grumble in annoyance). He took a deep breath, and looked at Yukari who looked to be eagerly awaiting his words. The look almost freaked him out, but he managed to keep it together. He wasn't used to her hero worship, but he was sure he'd get there eventually.

"Yukari, I wanted to make a few things clear to you" he said, picking his words carefully. "Things like… my real identity…"

"Oh! I would never tell anyone you didn't want me to Lord Crona!" Yukari assured him, nodding so fast her head was a blur. She had thought it might be something like this. He was here to make sure she could keep his secret before he initiated her into his secret underground order.

"Uh… that's good. Thank you" Crona said, surprised at how easy the girl had agreed. That took care of one worry, but something told him the rest of the conversation wouldn't be quite as simple.

"I'd do anything for you Lord Crona! I'll support you however I can. I know I'm not strong enough now, but I bet with enough training, I can help you get justice on that horrible reaper." Yukari informed him.

Crona blinked. That… wasn't right. What reaper would he be trying to get justice on? He only knew two of them… oh. This wasn't going to be good.

"Yukari… I know you're not going to want to hear this, but… I'm not going to try and kill the Grim Reaper" Crona said with a heavy sigh.

Yukari could hardly believe her ears "Bu-but what about what he's done to witch kind? What about his school that teaches how to kill witches? What about what he did to your mother and aunt?" she asked desperately. Surely her Lord couldn't be afraid of the Grim Reaper. Granted, she herself was terrified of him, but she was just a little girl! Crona was supposed to be the witches savior!

Crona clenched his fist at the mention of his mother. This was something Yukari didn't miss, though she completely misinterpreted it. "I'm sorry. I know you must still be upsets about Lady Medusa's death. I know it makes me sad too sometimes, and she wasn't even my mother" Yukari tried to give comfort to the boy she thought was still grieving "she was a good person and-"

_**"Ha! That's a laugh!" **_Ragnarok butted in. His words made Yukari look at him in horror. How could he say such a thing about his partner's mother!

"How could you say that? Lady Medusa was one of the nicest, strongest-"

"Yukari" Crona said softly

"most generous-"

"Yukari!" Crona tried a little more insistently

"thoughtful witch I ever heard of! She always looked out for her fellow witches and-"

YUKARI!" Crona snapped, his wavelength fluctuating, knocking the little girl back in her seat. "She wasn't any of those things!" he snapped at her, glaring into her wide eyes.

Yukari wasn't sure what to say to that. What did he mean she wasn't? Thankfully, she did the wise thing and chose not to open her mouth again while Crona took some deep breaths to calm himself down.

After he managed to collect himself, Crona stared hard at Yukari, as though contemplating what to say next. "You didn't know Medusa at all if you think those things about her" Crona told her plainly. "She may have been my mother, but she and I…. we never had the loving bond a parent and child should have…" he told her, his voice becoming sad at the end.

"What… what do you mean?" Yukari asked not understanding. She was having a hard time connecting the images she had in her head with what Crona was telling her.

Crona took a deep breath, not sure he was ready to deal with this. The last person he had told his life story to had been Maka. This girl… could he really open up to her like that? What would Maka say? She'd probably want him to make friends, and would say that a certain level of trust between two people was necessary. Ok, he'd tell her a little. At least enough to get her to stop questioning his choice to not avenge his mother.

"You see, it started when I was very young…" from there, he told her how his mother had experimented on him with the Black Blood, a long and painful process. He told her of his training, the weeks he spent locked in a dark room alone and hungry. He told her how he had been driven to and beyond the brink of madness…

But not everything was about him. He also told her how Medusa was the one who had murdered one of the Mizune sisters. How she had enslaved Eruka Frog, and used her to free the werewolf Free. Finally, he also told her how she was responsible for setting the Kishin lose on the world once more.

Yukari sat silently, but on the inside, she was filled with a tempest of emotions. Torture, enslavement, robbery, murder… how could Lady Medusa have done all these things? She wanted desperately to believe that Lord Crona was wrong, or lying… but somehow she didn't think he was. She had never known him to be a person who would lie. Then again, she had never suspected Lady Medusa to be capable of the things Lord Crona claimed either. But… if Lord Crona said that Lady Medusa had done these things… he'd be the one most likely to know right? He was her son… not that that meant much if his horrible childhood was to be taken as fact… but he would know the extent (or at least a good bit) or his mother's crimes. And if that was true… and sadly she had no way to contradict him, she could understand why he felt about her the way she did.

Of course, thinking about what Lord Crona said sparked a question in the back of her mind: "Did Lady Medusa's experiment… succeed?" she asked, wondering if the apparently evil woman's desire to turn her own son into a Kishin had actually worked.

Crona clenched his fist, and he looked away, his hair falling to cover his eyes. He didn't answer her, but his silence was telling her enough.

"Umm… you probably shouldn't tell people if you are" Yukari said "Kishins aren't exactly… popular in monster society. They aren't hated quite as much as **humans **are, but they're a close second." she explained. Crona just nodded and sighed. He still hadn't addressed the issue Yukari had with humans. But from the look on her face, brining that up now might be a little much. She had just found out that one of her idols was actually an insane homicidal bitch (Ragnarok's words not his), so bringing up humans right now would probably be a bit much. Glancing at the clock on Yukari's table, he saw that more time had passed then he'd thought.

"I still have a lot I want to say to you Yukari…but I think those things can wait. I'd be happy to come back another time though, if you'd like" he offered.

Yukari nodded silently, glad her Lord was giving her a moment to digest all that she'd learned. She watched him rise from his chair, and she did the same. In a spur of a moment sort of thing, she quickly stepped forward and embraced him, holding onto him tightly. She felt her eyes sting as tears started to pool there. As her Lord tentatively patted her on the back. They stayed that way for a while, before eventually separating. Lord Crona bid her goodnight, with a promise to return soon for another chat. Yukari both relished and dreaded the next encounter. On the one hand, it meant that Lord Crona still considered her his confidant. On the other, the things he had told her had rocked some of her core beliefs quite severally.

Getting ready for bed, Yukari lay awake for a little while, pondering everything she had heard, and desperately trying to understand to the best of her ability. So far he had only explained why he wasn't going to avenge his mother, yet she already knew that their was a much larger story behind all of this. There had to be a reason Lord Crona was here, and not out planning to take down the Grim Reaper. The question was, what was it?

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Crona sighed as he pulled himself back from his memory. He hadn't seen Yukari yet today, so he couldn't tell how she was adjusting to everything he'd told her.

Glancing to his left, he saw that Moka appeared to be reading an Art magazine. He vaguely remembered her telling him how much she liked art. She seemed deeply engrossed in it, so he decided not to bother her. Of course, that meant he had to sit quietly while they waited for Gin to show up so they could start working, but that was fine with him. He rather liked sitting quietly.

Moka could feel Crona's eyes on her, and she wanted nothing more then to turn around and start chatting with him. Only she couldn't. **She** wouldn't let her. She could feel the words she wanted to say freezing in her throat, and her neck refused to budge from its current position. Flicking her eyes to Crona, she wanted to ask him for help, but couldn't imagine what she'd say.

_She and Crona were embracing one another, their faces merely inches apart. She tenderly placed a hand on his warm cheek. As his hands roamed her body, she brought her other hand up, and placed it on the other cheek. Then, with savage glee, she snapped his neck, the bones shattering from her superior strength. Crona's eyes widened briefly with shock and betrayal, before his body fell lifeless to the floor…_

Moka winced, focusing on clearing her mind so she could push her inner self back. This had been happening for a little while now. Whenever Moka desired to be near Crona for too long, her inner self would take over a small portion of her body, or project those horrible images into her head. This was the first time she had done both. This made Moka fear that her inner self was gaining strength.

She theorized that Crona's black blood may be the answer. When she had taken a healthy amount of it, she had been able to easily push the inner her deeper into their shared consciousness, and the inner her could only communicate via the Rosary. But now that she hadn't been able to get any, her power over he inner self was waning. Inner her was fighting back, and worst of all she seemed to be winning.

The obvious solution would be to get more black blood. Only she couldn't do that. Between Ragnarok and the Inner her screwing with her mind, she'd never be able to get so much as a drop. The next plan was to simply explain the situation to Crona, and hope he understood. Only she couldn't do that either, because every time she tried, Inner her stopped the words, and made her say something else.

With no other option, she had turned to the only other thing that could calm her mind: Art. She never felt more peaceful then when she was working on art (well, she felt better when she was with Crona, but around him, her mind wasn't so much peaceful as… a tempest of emotions). And since Inner her detested art, she found that a useful way to suppress her.

"Alright everyone, it's club time!" Gin said, making his entrance into the classroom. Of course, he instantly made a bee line for Moka, once again trying to 'put the moves' on her.

"Oh, Moka!" he started, trying to act casual "What's this? Are you painting a picture or something?" he asked. "That book's an art textbook aint't it?"

Moka blinked as though coming out of a trance, before blushing and trying to hide the book "N…no it isn't, this is just…" Moka stuttered trying to find her words. Crona wasn't sure why she'd want to hide that she was into art, but he supposed she had her reasons.

"Heh, you're looking as hot as ever today, Moka" Gin interrupted, getting closer to her, "I really love ya baby!" he said, giving a glittering smile. "Won't you go out with me Moka?" he asked, producing a batch of flowers from who-knows-where. Crona tilted his head in thought, wondering how Gin could profess his intentions so smoothly.

Not that it helped, Moka had flat out refused, and was now trying to avoid Gin's attempts to give her the flowers by running around the classroom. Gin's inner wolf must have been acting up, because he had already sprouted a wolf's tail and ears.

Just as Crona stood to go help Moka, everyone's favorite Succubus ran through the door right at him. "Yeah! Another day of being in the club with you!" she cheered happily, glomping Crona "I love you Crona!" she then declared, before proceeding to rub her… assets… on him. Oddly enough, this had happened so often, that Crona was actually learning to deal with it. As long as Kurumu didn't get a case of 'wandering hands' syndrome again, they'd be just fine.

"Wait just a minute!" Yukari cried, brandishing her wand, causing a dust pan to shoo Kurumu away from her Lord. A second flourish resulted in a rather large desk falling on top of Gin's head. Hmm… she was getting better.

"I won't let anyone get away with putting their hands on Crona and Moka! I'll fight them off with my magic if I have to!" she said, glaring at Gin. "Because I wuv them both!" She wasn't really all that mad at Kurumu. She understood the need for a possible concubine, but that would only be allowed after her Lord had 'hooked up' with Moka (or her, whichever, no pressure)

"Who's she?" Gin took having a desk thrown at his head rather well. His smile had hardly dimmed at all. And Kurumu had only used the dustpan as an excuse to try and convince Crona to 'kiss her booboo'.

"She's the new club member, Yukari. A girl genius!" Moka praised. Gin just nodded. The girl was far to young for his tastes, so he would be content to just ignore her.

After that, things were pretty much normal for the small newspaper club. Well, as normal as it could be considering its members.

Kurumu was busy trying to figure out a way to get close to Crona. She felt that she and him hadn't been spending enough time together, and that was something she couldn't stand.

Moka was trying to enjoy her time with Crona while she could, all while ignoring the grating voice of her inner self in the back of her head.

Yukari was thinking about her conversation with Lord Crona the previous night. She wondered if he might come visit her again, and if he did, what they would talk about. She blushed, thinking of… other things they could do when her Lord came and visited her again.

Crona was trying to submit another poem to Gin, who was busy trying to think of any excuse not to expose that kind of depressant to the general public.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

After club time was over, Crona was completely prepared to walk his two girls home. Imagine his surprise when half way to the girls dormitories Moka suddenly broke away from the group.

"Later Crona, see you tomorrow" Moka said, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible.

Crona tilted his head to the side, skillfully ignoring Kurumu as she latched onto him. "Huh? Aren't we going home together Moka?" he asked confused. He normally walked them home each day, he wondered what had changed.

"Sorry…" Moka started "I have to go somewhere now…" she told him, holding up her art book

"Hey, isn't that the art book you were reading before?" Kurumu asked, only vaguely paying attention to the conversation. In her opinion, Moka leaving was a good thing, because it would give her the chance to be alone with her Destined One.

Moka nodded "Yeah, the thing is…" she blushed "I got asked by the art teacher to be a model for a picture!" she said in a rush "So I can't go home with you for a week" she announced to her surprised friends.

Crona was surprised because Moka had never brought up modeling before. He knew she had an interest in art, but not like that. Oh well, if it made her happy, who was he to interfere.

Kurumu wasn't taking it as well. After all, wasn't she the more attractive one? Why hadn't she been asked to model? She had a way better body then that pink haired, bloody sucking little bit-wait! A whole week? Moka wouldn't be around after club time for a whole week? YES! In a week, she could easily secure Crona as her Destined One! Let Moka have her shitty modeling gig, Kurumu was going to walk away with a much better prize…

Moka watched as her friends turned to leave, and desperately wished she could follow them. While she enjoyed art, modeling was not the kind of thing she considered fun. But she had no choice… unless…

"Crona?" Moka called out timidly to her retreating love. He looked at her curiously, his beautiful eyes meeting her's, and all she wanted to do was run to him, embrace him, and never let him go. But in order to do that…

"Would you… let me suck your blood?" she asked meekly. This was it, if she could get just a bit of his blood, she'd be able to push back Inner her and gain some valuable ground.

Kurumu huffed, but didn't say anything. She felt Crona tense up under her, as he tried to convince Moka not to come for his blood. She wanted to say something, but something deep down kept her quiet. Moka had been acting strange recently, maybe this would be what it took to get her acting normal? Not that she cared though. Because she totally didn't. Nu uh. Shut up!

Moka scooted closer to Crona, her eyes wide like a puppy. It took every bit of control she had to keep her inner self from blood-blocking her again. "It… it's just, I thought this would be goodbye for a while after today, and I…" she pouted, leaning in slowly. She knew seduction and other techniques had little effect on Crona for some reason. But they were a good distraction for her to move slowly closer. "I'll be lonely." she told him, her eyes getting watery. She could feel her inner self rolling her eyes inside her head, but Moka ignored her.

Crona nodded silently, knowing how painful being alone could be. In his head, Ragnarok was busy making fake vomit sounds, clearly showing what he thought of Moka's performance.

"Crona" Moka said, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder (The one that didn't have Kurumu on it.)

"Moka…" Crona said, realizing how close Moka was in his personal space.

Then, with lightning speed, Moka sunk her fangs into Crona's exposed neck, ignoring the shouts of protest from both Crona and Kurumu. "Thanks for the Treat!" she mumbled. A second later, a fist knocked her into the air. With surprising grace, she righted herself and landed effortlessly.

_**"Dammit Crona why did you let your guard down!" **_Ragnarok raged at being tricked.

Crona said nothing, due to being to busy being strangled by Ragnarok. Kurumu had jumped off Crona when Moka had leapt on, and was now glaring at the satisfied vampire.

With a healthy blush on her cheeks, Moka bid her friends goodbye, and ran off to her next destination.

Meanwhile, in the shadows (as was so often the case) a figure watched on.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

_(Moka's Mind-scape) _

Inner Moka scowled up at the ceiling of her four poster bed. Despite her best efforts, her inferior weaker half was fighting back with surprising tenacity. She had even managed to suppress her long enough to drink some more of that accursed blood which had started this whole ruddy affair. Standing, Moka left the bedroom to go and survey the damage this little indulgence had caused.

Her mind scape took the form of a rather illustrious manor reminiscent of her home. Normal mental planes generally weren't this elaborate, but she had had many years to work on this; ever since the Rosary had first been put on her when she was younger. I-Moka frowned; that Rosary was the start of her problems. Where before, the Outer her was just a charming fluke, a mistake which she could easily dispose of; now was becoming a real nuisance. The other her was not suppose to challenge her, and was certainly not supposed to try and over throw her. If only the damned thing could be removed. That would allow her to take over her body, and she could solve this problem.

The manor seemed to be in good shape, which was a relief to her. The state of the manor was a sort of gauge of how far the deterioration had gotten. Glancing down one of the corridors of the east wing, she frowned at the sight before her: Everything was solid black. The walls, the ceiling, and the floor were black as night, and slightly runny, as though made of liquid (or more accurately, blood).

So the corruption was indeed back. She glared at the floor, and somehow she knew it was glaring back. It was fortunate she had started to push back against this intrusion when she had. It had consumed the entire east wing and half of the ground floor of the manor before she was able to gain any ground. Now with each passing day, the black terror was fading from the Mokas' collective mind. She wasn't sure what would happen if the black blood were able to take the entire mind scape, but she didn't want to find out. Regardless, she was too strong to be defeated so easily, and she wasn't going to back down.

It was all that… thing's fault! She didn't know how he got here, but she knew that if she was ever freed she'd kill him. She strongly suspected that the boy… Crona… was a Kishin. She had been under the impression that only one Kishin existed, but it was possible for her to be wrong (improbable, but not impossible). She had suspected the moment she had felt his aura. No other creature could give off such a feeling of malevolent madness like that. And the worst part was, her Outer self relished that feeling he put out! Not only that, but it made the remaining corruption all the stronger, and more difficult to combat.

I-Moka glared at the ceiling, easily seeing through the eyes of her weaker self. The pathetic girl was taking art lessons from that disgusting art teacher. She sneered, easily able to see that the woman was not a kind as she appeared. What a shame her outer self was too stupid to notice as well.

With a sigh, I-Moka headed back to her room. There wasn't much to do inside her own head besides watch the world go by and plot. But soon, she would be free. It didn't matter how hard her outer self protested or fought against her. Victory was inevitable. Even if the Rosary wasn't removed, she would be able to fight her way out soon enough. That last sip of accursed blood would do her counter part no good, but all the same I-Moka hoped she enjoyed that last taste. Once she was freed, she would kill that demonic freak Crona for hindering her. The next thing she would do would be to deal with O-Moka's 'friends'. Finally, she would plunge the outer her so far into their collective subconscious that she would never crawl her way back out. That was of course, if she didn't decide to purge her from their mind all together…

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

"Everyone, we have some news" Gin said, his normal goofy face gone, replaced by serious look that told all the club members to listen up.

"The 'Missing Girls' problem!" Gin said, writing the word disappearance on the chalkboard. Crona and the others all sat up a little straighter at that. That really did sound serious.

Seeing he had his audiences attention, Gin continued "Several female students have vanished without a trace lately, one after another. So far, ten in all. It's not all that unusual for people to go missing here, but don't these numbers seem unusual?" he asked.

Grabbing a stack of papers on his desk, he quickly passed them out "I've collected some basic information on the missing girls" he told them, once they all had one. On the page were pictures of each of the girls and some basic facts about them. "We're going to find out the facts on this incident!" he said with such conviction that it surprised the group.

Gin heaved a sigh, walking over to the window as he monologged "As you can see from these pictures, the girls that have disappeared are all pretty hot! If someone is holding them hostage, I wanna save them somehow." Gin's fist clenched as his imagination started to run wild "If they see me in a good light, it'll be a chance to get to know 'em better."

The girls eyes all rolled at the same time when he said that. Of course that would be the Gin's one true motivation.

Glancing down at the list before her, Moka's eyes widened when she came across one particular name: Tamao Ichinose.

Hearing Moka's slight gasp, the remaining club member (minus Gin who was to busy fantasizing) followed her gaze.

"Isn't that girl the head of the mermaids that tried to kill you?" Kurumu asked, glancing at Moka. The pink haired girl just nodded, looking at the picture of the psycho bitch that had tried to murder her not to long ago.

Crona was looking at it too, but for a different reason. What Gin said about students disappearing was true, and he had counted on that. It was suppose to make the deaths he caused less noticeable. Thankfully, it seemed Tamao had only been singled out because Gin found her attractive. Unfortunately for the horny hound dog, Tamao was definitely not going to be found.

That said, he had Ragnarok would definitely have to be more careful from now on. He couldn't afford to be stopped just yet, before he'd had the chance to really make a difference. It might be a good idea to keep a close eye on Gin too. The guy might be too skilled for his own good.

Either way though, these girls who were also missing (assuming they weren't as dead as Tamao) peaked his interest. Who or whatever was doing this was definitely up to no good, and needed to be stopped. All he'd have to do was find the cause. From there, he could solve the problem his way.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

After club time, Crona and Kurumu walked together, Kurumu happily embracing his arm. Yukari unfortunately had to stay behind to do some extra work, and Moka had run ahead to meet up with someone. While both Crona and Kurumu were curious who she was meeting, they didn't have to wait long to find out.

"Sensei, sorry to keep you waiting!" Moka's voice called out from nearby.

Wanting to see the person who would be taking up so much of the vampire's time, Kurumu dragged Crona behind a tree to watch Moka interact with this 'sensei' person.

"Oh, you really did show up for me! Thank you" A mature, chipper voice responded, as a figure came into view. "I'm really glad Moka!" It was Hitomi Ishigami, the art teacher. Crona vaguely remembered the few times he'd had class with her. She was yet another beautiful woman that all the guys fawned over. Yet surprisingly, just as many girls seemed to like her as well. Crona wasn't especially good at art, but he enjoyed the class all the same. Ragnarok on the other hand, found it to be a complete bore, and spent most of the time mentally undressing the teacher with his eyes (Luckily Crona was able to bribe him so that was all he did).

She was a tall lean woman with an hour glass figure. Her dirty blond hair was done up in several braids, and partially covered by a bandana. She wore tight black pants with a loose fitting belt; and a small red tube top which showed off her flat stomach and clung tightly to her chest. Over that she wore a large white overcoat which reminded Crona too much of Prof. Stein's for comfort. But instead of being covered in stitches, her coat was stained in with various splotches of paint.

She smiled as she looked down at Moka "When I see someone as beautiful as you, I just want to have you in my art collection!" she proclaimed, happily. "Your beauty truly is high art."

Moka bowed deeply, hiding her blush. It felt strange to have someone not Crona comment on her appearance this way. When it was boys, she expected it; but from a 20-30 year old woman, it was a little odd. But she needed this, if she ever wanted to be free of her Inner self's control. She needed to focus on art as much as she could, until she was mentally strong enough to fight her Inner self.

So, still bowing, she said "Sensei, I'm looking forward to working with you for the next week"

"Oh, me too" The woman said with a smile as she and her new pupil started to walk back towards the art room.

Kurumu's eye twitched at the sight of the art teacher complimenting Moka. Why hadn't **she **been picked instead of Moka? "Aren't I beautiful enough?" she growled under her breath. She hadn't meant for Crona to hear that, but he had.

"Of corse you are, Kurumu!" Crona said without thinking. As a surprised Kurumu's head snapped in his direction, Crona suddenly found the ground very interesting. "I… I mean… I've always thought you were pretty Kurumu. You shouldn't get upset just because you didn't get picked. I don't think it was anything personal…" Crona babbled as Kurumu continued to stare at him.

Kurumu had a deep blush on her face. She had been called a lot of things: slut, ho, skank, and easy, by the various girls that were jealous of her looks. She had also been called 'magnificent' 'gorgeous' 'an angel' and 'a goddess' by the various boys she had charmed. But the simple act of Crona telling her she was pretty meant more to her then anything anyone else had ever said to her before.

"Crona…" she said, getting his attention. He looked up at her, his cheeks crimson. "Thank you for that" was all she said, before stepping forward and hugging him. This time, she decided to let the hug be at his full height, and not squish his head into her boobs. Instead, she buried her head in his chest, and listened to his heart beat. It was clear Crona still wasn't entirely used to this level of contact, because his heart was beating like a maniac. Which made her wonder, why was Crona so unfamiliar with a loving touch? Who could possibly not love Crona, and see him for the wonderful person he was?

A little while later, when the two finally separated, and she went back to her room, Kurumu made herself a promise. She swore then and there that she was going to do something nice for Crona. Not just bake him cookies and proclaim her undying love for him (though she'd still keep doing that of obviously). No, she wanted to do something truly amazing for him, to show just how much she cared for him. The only question was…. what!

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

_**The Next Day**_

In an amazing turn of events, Art class just happened to be on the schedule for the day. Hitomi-sensei was busy explaining that this months theme was 'What's important to you?'

"In Art Class today, you'll be painting pictures containing what is important to you in your hearts. Feel free to paint whatever you want" she said with a smile as she looked out over the class. Hitomi-sensei was a very easy going teacher, and was very popular with all of her students; though she was especially popular with the females.

"Hey Hitomi-sensei! I've decided to skip Gym to hang out with you!" a blond girl with braided pig tails declared as she climbed in through the window. Hitomi-sensei just laughed and wave the girl in. Apparently she was so popular that girls actually skipped class just to be around her.

With a sigh, Crona turned back to his painting. It wasn't going especially well. Unlike Moka, who no doubt had a great deal of talent in this area, Crona found his skills in the art of painting to be… lacking. Painting was about creating, and Crona had always been much better at destroying. The only artistic thing he was good at was his poetry.

The task should be simple enough: paint what's most important to you. Well for him that was easy; the most important thing to him were the friendships he had made; more specifically, his first friend ever: Maka Albarn. That was what he was trying to paint now, a picture of him and Maka holding hands. Now that sounded simple and easy, but what Crona had made looked like a crude child's drawing. Both he and Maka had ended up… chibi-d was the term Ragnarok had used, instead of their real bodies. He was also having trouble getting the clothes right. Not Maka's cloths, his cloths. For some reason he was having a lot of trouble getting his robe drawn just right. It kept turning out like the dress his mother had forced him to wear when he was very small (yet another reason he didn't care much for the woman).

In the end, artwork just wasn't something he knew how to deal with. On the upside though, he was learning; which gave him hope that he could learn to deal with other things in his life as well.

Ragnarok sighed; he was sooooo bored! He hated going to school like a normal person; it just went against his very nature. Glancing around the room, his eyes landed on the more annoying of the girls with a crush on Crona: Moka. Oh sure she was nice, she had a great body, and was easily swayed to believe Crona was the greatest thing since blood packs; but that didn't stop her from annoying him somewhat. The fact that she kept drinking his blood was really pissing him off, because she was, in fact, **eating** him. Still, she made Crona happy, which he guessed was something.

Turning back to Crona, he rolled his eyes at Crona's painting. All these beautiful girls around him, and all Crona could think about was that flat chested Maka girl.

Deciding he wanted to paint too, Ragnarok stretched out and pulled a canvas and supplies to him and got to work doodling. As he did, he thought about Moka's modeling gig. It did seem oddly out of the blue. The girl had never talked about modeling before after all… He wondered what kind of model she'd be. Wait! What if… what if she was… A Nude Model? This of course, lead to the little demon thinking about all the girls he knew wearing nothing but their birthday suits… Kurumu, Moka, Neko-sensei, that Tsubaki girl, the two blonds that hung around Death's son, the weird cat lady that lived at Maka and Soul's apartment, hell, he'd even throw in Maka too…

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

As one, every girl Ragnarok had thought of (with the exception of Kurumu and Moka) felt their 'pervert sense' flare up and immediately turned and punched the male closest to them at a time; thinking they might be the cause of the disturbance.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

The idea was oddly appealing, but quickly lead to him cursing Crona for his lack of sex drive. Had Crona been a 'normal' teenager, getting him laid would have been so much easier. As it was, he had very little to work with, and the chances seemed slim. Although, that succubus did look like she just might be the type to just go for it. Not that'd he blame her, after all, no lady could resist his charm…

Shaking his head, he went back to doodling (though now the things he drew were of a more… explicit nature), and thinking about the strange new attitude of the vampire girl. Somehow, he felt as though she'd become more distant. He could feel the girls emotions fluctuating widely whenever she was around Crona, but lately he'd started feeling something weird. It was like a second set of emotions. It was faint, and seemed to be similar to Moka's in terms of soul frequency, but it was other then that; it was completely the opposite.

When Moka now looked at Crona, he could feel her desire to be with him, while at the same time, the fainter waves gave off a feeling of hate and distain. And it seemed like the second set grew stronger while Moka's grew weaker. Crona hadn't sensed it yet, but Ragnarok's soul perception was naturally stronger then his. He hadn't told the boy yet though, because for now, it didn't seem like any of their business. Still though, it was definitely something he would be keeping an eye on…

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Art class passed by with nary an exciting event. Ragnarok had even been surprisingly well behaved today; Crona only had to stop him from feeling up the teacher twice. Maybe this school environment was good for him after all.

However, Moka had seemed unusually antsy; and had been reluctant to leave her painting behind. He had asked what it was, but she had blushed and refused to tell him before running off.

He had just caught up with her in the hall, and hoped he'd be able to have a decent chat with her. The last couple of days, she'd seemed rather distant, and that concerned Crona slightly. He didn't want to lose touch with his first friend at the Academy.

"Moka! Please stop, do you have a minute to talk?" Crona called out to her. Moka stopped, he body shaking ever so slightly as she looked at him.

"Uh… what do you want to talk to me about?" Moka asked, just managing to keep the fear and pain out of her voice. She didn't know how, but the Black Blood she had taken had worn off, and her Inner self was striking at her with a vengeance.

There was still some distance between Crona and her, so he took a step to close that gap. As he did, Moka saw him as he was in that moment. The next moment, she saw her Inner self snapping both of Crona's legs.

Another step, and she tore off his arms.

The sound of his shoes hitting the floor as he took another step were almost drowned out by the sound of his screams as Inner her tore out his heart and crushed it like a grape.

Crona was nearly in front of her, and Moka had to refrain herself from becoming ill at the sight of her Inner self tearing off Crona's head, and doing unspeakable things to his neck.

Crona felt his concern rise when Moka started to green. But before the young demon meister could ask what was wrong, Kurumu came barreling around the corner; slamming right into Crona.

"OW!" Kurumu complained as she landed on her tush. Her skirt blew up, giving Crona a flash of panties, something Crona wasn't sure how to deal with (though as often as that seemed to happen, you'd think he would be by now) Looking up, she was surprised to see Crona and Moka. She hadn't even been looking for them this time!

"Um… are you alright Kurumu?" Crona asked. Briefly distracted, he looked away from Moka, allowing her to sigh with relief as the visions faded.

"I'm so happy, we're so lucky to bump into each other in the hallway aren't we, my precious Crona!" the succubus cooed as she reunited Crona with her bust. Oh course, she didn't think it was a mere chance that caused her and Crona to meet. No, it was Fate! She and her Destined One were drawn to each other like magnets to metal, and no force could keep them apart!

Looking up, she saw Moka starting to walk away. "Hey! Where are you going Moka?" Kurumu called out, getting Crona's attention as he pried his head out of her chest (which was oddly more difficult then it should have been) and saw his friend leaving.

"Moka wait! I still wanted to talk to you…" Crona trailed off as he saw Moka only pick up speed.

"Sorry Crona, I'm in a hurry!" she called back, though she would not look over her shoulder to look at him.

Kurumu frowned, wondering if she had interrupted something important. It wasn't really her fault though; running into Crona and Moka **had** been an accident. She had been on her way to find someplace quiet to meditate. Though finding Crona was, in fact, waaaaaayyyyy better. What could she say, she just loved being close to her man. **HER** man! And no one else's dammit!

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Oddly enough, it wasn't as easy as Crona had hoped it would be to have a conversation alone with Moka. It seemed like the universe was conspiring against him, because for the next couple of days, for various reasons, all his attempts ended in failure.

His first attempt after meeting Kurumu was foiled when Yukari inserted herself in between him and Moka, and insisted on walking with them. This made having a private conversation very difficult. It would have been fine though, had Yukari not tried to show off to him a new spell, and inadvertently flooded the entire third floor of the Academy with chocolate pudding.

The next one ended before it could start when Gin showed up in another attempt to woo Moka. He had tried to give her flowers (which hadn't been watered and were wilting), chocolates (half of which were eaten), perfumes (all of them foul smelling), and rare jewels (all fake, really, Crona was beginning to doubt Gin's reputation of being a 'big player'). His last ditch effort had been a 'Love-Me' Ray Gun. Crona had of course broken the gun, along with Gin's hand (with Ragnarok punching him in the gonads for good measure). Alas, by the time he was done, Moka had run off again.

Over and over this happened. From the science lab accidentally releasing a swarm of angry radioactive squirrels, to a group of people in strange clothing popping out of nowhere, claiming they were looking for magic feathers.

Finally, nearly an entire week had passed. And it seem that, with each fresh failure to communicate with Moka, she grew more and more distant from him. He had even started to notice a shift in her soul wavelength, which lead him to believe that something very drastic was going on with his friend, and he knew he had to find out what it was!

This was what lead to him standing in front of the art building after he'd escorted Yukari and Kurumu home. Both were disappointed he wouldn't be with them (Yukari wishing to speak more about the Witch World, and Kurumu just wanting him period), but even they were starting to grow concerned. Neither had missed the odd shifts in Moka's personality over the week, and both found it strange and disturbing.

Crona hoped Hitomi-sensei would not be upset by his interrupting her and Moka's session, but it had to be done. Arriving at the appropriate door, he took a deep breath, and flung the door wide open.

"Excuse me, I need to talk to Moka!" Crona said with as much determination as he could muster, his eyes closed as he waited to be rebuffed.

But there was nothing. No words were said to him. Looking up, Crona found the entire classroom empty. He wondered if he had the right class, but he was sure he did. He sighed, all his bravado, and no one around to see it. Oh well. He figured if Moka wasn't there yet, he'd just sit down and wait.

But as he moved further into class room, he thought he heard something that immediately set him on edge: the sound of someone sobbing. Turning his head to locate the noise, he easily located its source to be a locker in the corner of the room.

Advancing on it, he noted the skirt and school jacket which lay just outside the locker. He didn't recognize the voice, but then again it was hard to tell who a person was by their sobs. For all he knew… Moka could be the one in there! Quickly he opened the locker, bracing himself for what he might see. All the same, he was not prepared.

It was the statue of a girl. The statue was buck naked with its stone hair done in braided pig tails, and strangest of all, it had tears leaking down its cheeks as it continued to sob.

"Wh… why is the statue crying?" He wondered aloud. "I don't know how to deal with crying statues!" he proclaimed. And for once, Ragnarok was silent on the matter. Frankly, he wasn't sure what to do here either.

Both he and Crona wondered why something like that was in a locker. And why did it seem like the girls hairstyle seemed familiar from somewhere…

Backing up, the young demon meister felt his back press up against flesh, and he realized he had backed into someone. Turning around, he came face to face with a rather upset Hitomi-sensei.

**"And just what do you think you're doing to my Art!" **she demanded looking down on him. Her eyes seemed like empty pools of doom, and as she loomed over him, Crona was sure he saw her hair waving about like snakes. Good god he hated snakes.

"Sensei, I'm sorry I barged in here and…" Crona stuttered to make his excuse, but Hitomi-sensei was really freaking him out.

Hitomi-sensei blinked twice, before she seemed to realize who Crona was. "Oh! Aren't you that Crona boy from class three?" she asked pleasantly. Her personality had done a complete one-eighty from five seconds ago, and it weirded Crona out. He had thought she was about to **kill** him! At least her hair didn't look snake like anymore; obviously it had just been a trick of his unstable mind.

Taking a calming breath, Hitomi-sensei regarded him with an appraising eye "So, you came to pick up Moka huh?" she asked, getting a nod in return from a nervous Crona (though really, when was he **not **nervous?).

Shaking her head she said "Sorry, she's too busy being a model to spend time with you." she told him simply and plainly.

Crona blinked in surprise. That wasn't what he was expecting. He was expecting to confront Moka, not get rebuffed before he even got the chance!

"Why can't she?" Crona asked, concerned. Ragnarok had a few other choice words he could have used, but Crona figured that those might be counter productive.

"Why, you ask…" Hitomi-sensei chuckled to herself, as though she knew something they didn't.

Before she could say anything though, the door was flung open, and a flustered and somewhat pale Moka burst into the room.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

**Minutes Earlier: **

Moka stood in the nearby girls bathroom, splashing cold water on her face. She felt weak, and nauseous, both physically and mentally. Looking at her reflection, she saw the bags that were starting to form under her eyes, and cursed her inner-self once more.

The silver haired bitch had apparently garnered enough mental strength to keep up an almost constant stream of horrifyingly graphic images at all hours of the day and night. And sadly, Moka's attempts to flee the visions by avoiding her friends, had merely isolated her, depressing her, and weakening her mental fortitude.

Even her own body was starting to fail on her. With increasing frequency, she felt herself lose control over larger and larger portions of her body. It was pretty much all she could do to hold on at this point.

And while she would love nothing more then to go to her friends for help, she realized it was likely to late. If she approached her friends at this stage, the odds were good that Inner her might assume control long enough to kill one of them, then leave her holding the bag.

Bracing herself against the sink, she looked up at the mirror again, and was shocked to see her Inner self looking back at her, a smug smirk upon her lips.

_**"Soon" **_she whispered rapturously, her grin widening to near insane levels. I-Moka reached up and stroked the Rosary on her chest, and Moka felt her own arm and hand mirror the motion against her will, despite how hard she tried to fight it.

_**"Soon it will be you locked up in here" **_I-Moka said, referring to the Rosary. _**"on the other side of the looking glass." **_her intense vampiric eyes locked with Moka's kind ones, and Moka wanted to weep.

"no…." she whimpered, struggling to regain control of her limbs. Not now, not when she hadn't gotten to finish her gift…Slowly but surely, she felt her arm fall back under her control.

Even though she realized now it wouldn't help, Moka continued with the art lessons. Since she couldn't go near her friends without risking a psychotic episode, she would say her farewell another way: The Painting. That was why she couldn't allow I-Moka to beat her just yet. This would likely be the last thing she would be able to do before the outside world was lost to her. And if that was the case, she wanted to leave her friends a gift that would show them all how much they meant to her.

For the first time, I-Moka frowned. She felt O-Moka's resolve harden again, and herself being pushed back. How she hated her outer self. Yet at the same time, she almost admired the girl's tenacity. Almost.

I-Moka growled, catching O-Moka's attention again_** "It won't matter in the end. That painting will amount to nothing!" **_she said. But seeing her words were not affecting O-Moka the way she'd hoped, she decided it was time for some parting words.

O-Moka gasped when I-Moka reached out through the mirror and grabbed her by her throat _**"You Can't Keep Me Locked Up Much Longer!" **_she screamed, before pulling the pink haired girl towards the mirror.

With a crash, O-Moka's head slammed into the bathroom mirror, cracking it, and sending her tumbling backwards. Pressing a hand to her forehead, she was relived she wasn't cut, though that would likely bruise tomorrow. Fearfully looking back at the mirror, Moka saw that her reflection had returned to normal: A frightened, sad, lonely, pink haired girl standing alone in the girl's room.

Stumbling out, she knew she needed to finish the picture today, because she very well might not have tomorrow.

However, upon entering the Art Room, she saw the one person she most desperately wanted to, and at the same time not, see. Crona Gorgon, the boy she loved, and her Inner self wanted to kill.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

"Cr-Crona! What are you doing here?" Moka asked nervously, her body tensing up at the sight of her first friend. Why was he here? He wasn't supposed to be here!

Crona, glad to see Moka after the tense encounter with Hitomi-sensei, tried to find the words to explain himself. How he had missed her company, and was starting to worry about her. But he had never been good at expressing such things, so what came out was:

"Well you see, I… Listen I was… What I mean is"

And as he rambled, Moka could just feel her fingers itching to close around his throat. _**"How wonderful, my most hated enemy right in front of me when my vessel is at her weakest" **_Inner Moka crooned in the back of her head, audible to only her. _**"It looks like the poor boy has been missing you. Silly child. Perhaps I should just snap his neck now and end both your suffering, eh?" **_she suggested cruelly, making Moka's eyes go wide.

"NO!" she cried out, before realizing she had said it out loud. Grabbing Crona by his shoulders (taking special care not to go near his neck with them) she started to push him out of the classroom, trying to look anywhere but at him.

Knowing she couldn't just act this way for no reason, she tried to think of an excuse "I'll… I'll be embarrassed, so you can't stay here! So leave!" she ordered him, surprising him greatly.

_**"Embarrassed?" **_Ragnarok asked with interest _**"Could it be you really area nude model?" **_he asked.

With a great shove, Moka propelled him from the classroom, her eyes fighting back tears "What I do is none of your business!" she told him. And while the next words broke her heart, she knew that, for his safety, they had to be said "Anyway, just leave!"

Crona just stared at her, open mouthed. Even Ragnarok was speechless. Neither one of them knew how to deal with the presented situation. For Crona this felt like a great betrayal. He had cared for her a great deal, and was really worried about her. And to have that thrown back in his face, was almost too much to bare.

Turning his back on her, Crona slowly shuffled his way back down the hall. If Moka wanted to be alone, then he would let her. He wouldn't bother her by forcing his presence upon her again.

Watching him leave, Moka felt her heart ache. She could see in his eyes the hurt that Crona felt. How could she have said those things to him! She inwardly cursed her Inner self, who oddly was staying silent. But right now, that didn't matter. What mattered was that she wanted nothing more then to run to him and apologize for everything.

But before she could even take that first step, a strong grip latched onto her arm. Turning her head, she saw Hitomi-sensei, head bowed, her features in shadows. Moka tried to break the grip, but the fingers were like iron.

"Huh? Ishigami-sensei?" Moka asked, confused.

"Sorry" her sensei replied, though she sounded anything but. "It seems I can't let you go anymore." she said. And with a tug, Moka found herself pulled back inside the art room, whose door banged shut right behind her.

_-__**-Dealing With Youkai Academy-**_

"How weird!" Yukari muttered out loud to herself as she sat alone in the Newspaper room. Resting in front of her was a glass orb, used for divination. Her words referred to the strange, malicious aura enveloping Moka and Crona. This was definitely a signal that danger was approaching. Her fortune-telling was always right, which meant she needed to find one of them and warn them quickly.

As though by magic (No pun intended) Crona walked right through the door. But Yukari could tell he was in no mood for bad news right now. He looked like someone had just told him all poetry had been outlawed. Even Ragnarok looked somber.

"Lord Crona, whats' the matter?" the little witch asked, desperate to cheer up her Lord.

But Crona didn't respond. He just sat down at a desk, and stared ahead at the wall. Heaving a great sigh, Crona placed his head in his hands, all the while trying to ponder what he should do.

He still had hope that this wasn't the end of his friendship with Moka; that somehow, it could be repaired. But with this, and her recent attitude towards him lately, he was actually starting to have doubts. It was times like this that Crona really missed his first friend, Maka. She would have known what to do. Maka was smart like that, and was much better at dealing with people then he was.

Thinking about Maka got him thinking about Death City, and wondering if anyone other then the blond haired girl missed him.

Yukari was surprised. She had never seen her lord this quiet. While she knew he was a naturally soft spoken person, this was an extreme, even for him. Something must be wrong.

"Please, Lord Crona, talk to me. What's wrong?" Yukari asked desperately, laying a hand on Crona's shoulder. He flinched slightly at the contact (something which made Yukari feel the beginnings of hate towards Lady Medusa), but turned to face her.

"Why do you care about me so much Yukari?" he asked. It was something he had been wondering about for a while, but hadn't had the courage to ask.

"Well…uh… I mean" Yukari stumbled over her words as she blushed "Well, what are friends for?" she offered as the first thing that came to her mind.

Crona blinked "I… don't know." he answered "before coming here, I've only ever had one person who I could call a friend." he told her.

That little bit of knowledge saddened Yukari. Someone as kind as her Lord deserved a legion of friends. She resolved that she would always be there for him. But she had to wonder, who was this first friend?

"Would you… tell me about them? Your first friend I mean?" the young witch asked him shyly. Maybe, if she did what his first friend had done, she could find a way to get closer to her Lord's heart.

Crona hesitated, thinking how best to describe Maka to Yukari. He'd have to leave a lot out, but he supposed he could make it work.

"Well alright… her name was Maka Albarn" he started, looking down at Yukari, who was listening as though her life depended on it.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Gin grunted in frustration as he walked down the hall, Kurumu trailing behind him. The two of them had just finished conducting a series of interviews with people who had known the missing girls. Gin had gone as the primary interviewer, Kurumu had gone to make sure he didn't get… 'distracted' by the girls.

The trip hadn't yield much fruit, as they were no closer to figuring out what had happened to the girls. The good news was that the list of missing girls had gone down from ten to eight. The bad news was that a new girl had gone missing, brining the number back up to nine.

Two of the girls hadn't really been missing. The first girl Asadme Lydu, had been in the school infirmary all this time. She had bitten by a snake while out on the grounds, and a concerned teacher had rushed her there. The snake itself had apparently been very poisonous (though no one could find the snake to identify what kind it was), and had almost killed her; the doctors had been forced to heavily sedate her for several days while they worked to save her. She had no friends to identify her, nor was the teacher familiar with her. She also hadn't been carrying her school ID with her, so her identity had remained a mystery. It was only recently that she had awoken and been lucid enough to identify herself.

The other girl, a Winry Rockbell, had apparently been in the midst of a family emergency and had left the grounds. She had been in such a hurry that she never bothered to notify her teachers, so she had been counted missing. The girl had come back just the other day, to find herself in quite a bit of trouble.

Tossing those two pages aside, he came to the next girl on his list: Tamao Ichinose. The former head of the swim team, he had expected to find a great many people with worries about where she had been. Instead he had found that all of Tamao's former friends seemed rather frightened that whatever had gotten her would get them next. Instead of just missing, they were under the assumption that Tamao had died. Or rather, been killed. When pressed, they replied that Tamao may have angered the wrong predator, and payed for it with her life.

And though he wouldn't voice it out loud, a seed had been planted in his mind about just who that predator may have been. Looking up from his papers, he opened the door to the newspaper room, expecting to find that he and Kurumu would be the first there. Instead, he found the room already occupied. And as Kurumu rushed passed him to grab her man, he found his eyes lingering on the pinkish-purple haired boy. Just who was he, and more importantly, WHAT was he.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Yukari sat quietly after Crona had finished, just taking it all in. It was a lot to process, and she still felt she had more questions then answers. But before she could voice them, the door opened and Gin and Kurumu finally made their entrance.

"Oh, Crona! You're already here!" the succubus greeted gleefully, glomming the demon meister.

"You're late!" Yukari pointed out, though she focused her glare more on Gin.

Gin didn't reply, instead holding up a new photograph. "Yesterday, another girl went missing" he said somberly.

As Yukari and Crona looked at the photo, Crona's eyes went wide. He snatched the picture from Gin, holding it close to be sure. "This girl…" Looking over the photo, he had to say the likeness was uncanny. The girl in the photo looked exactly like the crying statue he'd just seen in the art room.

"What's with you all of a sudden?" Gin asked, narrowing his eyes as a myriad of emotions played across Crona's face.

Crona realized where he had seen this girl from before. She was the girl who had skipped gym class to spend time with Hitomi-sensei! Suddenly, it all started to fit together, from the art teachers popularity, to her reaction when Crona found the weeping statue. And now, the idea that Moka was with this woman caused the bottom of his stomach to drop, as he was left wondering: Would Moka be next?

The three other group members watched as Crona clenched his fist, ruffling the picture. Dropping it, he turned on his heel and left the room in a dead sprint. Even as they cried out his name, he didn't turn around. No matter what Moka may think of him, he still saw her as a friend, and was going to save her; no matter what!

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Moka gasped as she backed up against the wall. Almost immediately after Crona had left, Hitomi-sensei had been acting very strange. "What's happening to you all of a sudden, Hitomi-sensei? You hair! It's like snakes!" Moka panicked as the formerly pleasant teacher advanced on her.

Hitomi gave Moka a smile that was reminiscent of her former persona, before leveling a harsh glare at the girl "You see, Crona just saw a little too much! SO thanks to him, I'm going to have to put an early end to our playtime!" Hitomi explained calmly, even as her hair writhed around her head, the locks seeming to transform into smooth scaled heads. "Too bad"

Without warning, one of her dreads shot towards Moka, before…biting her… on the wrist. Moka would have cried out in pain, but before she had the chance, Hitomi continued the attack. Dozens more hair-snakes slammed into Moka, knocking her back through a door at the back of the classroom, revealing Hitomi's private storeroom.

As Moka pushed herself up out of the rubble, she tried to see through the debris that had been kicked up. As she did, her ears were assaulted by the sound of multiple girls weeping. Looking up, Moka saw to her horror several other naked, weeping stone girls. Each one frozen, a look of shock and fear on their faces, trails of tears running down their faces.

"What is going on?" Moka shouted "The statues are crying as if they were real!"

But even as she said that, a pain shot through her hand. The wound where the snake bit her felt like it was on fire, but even then, her hand felt heavy, like it was made of… stone! Moka could only gaze on as her left hand stiffened, the skin becoming rough as it petrified.

"It's the Medusa power of transformation into stone!" Hitomi said from the doorway, her face hidden in shadow. "Any living thing bitten by one of my snakelike hairs will turn to stone." At this Hitomi grinned. Not the grin of kindness she had been so known for, no. This was a grin of madwoman about to do something terrible, and reveled in it. "You, too, will soon be completely turned to stone just like those other girls." she explained.

Moka's mind quickly put all the known facts together, and they came to a terrible conclusion "That means… that all the other statues in this room are all…." she trailed off, glancing at each of the statues in turn.

If anything, Hitomi's grin widened "The beautiful students of this Academy!" she dementedly "Yes, I've turned them all to stone!" With that she stepped forward, revealing her transformed face to Moka. Every lock of hair on her head had transformed into a seething mass of snakes. Her face itself had taken on a reptilian quality, and her skin seemed scaly.

Several more snake-hairs whipped out, wrapping around Moka, binding her. As they did, each would sink their poisonous fangs into her flesh, pumping more of their venom into her.

Hitomi gazed at her latest acquisition with pride "Aren't you beautiful?" she asked of her captive "And I will further elevate that beauty for you, isn't that an honor?" she asked rhetorically.

Moka gasped as another snake bite her. She was using all the strength she had to fight back, but it wasn't getting her anywhere. The few times she broke free of one snake, three more would attack her. Trying to hide her fear, she looked her former sensei in the eye and asked one question: "Why?"

Hitomi just giggled like a school girl, before sauntering up to another statue. "Huhu… take a look at these girls! They're crying! Even though they're stone, they're alive!" she said as she caressed the cheeks of the statue almost lovingly "They have emotion! Sadness and despair. They can't move, they can't die, all they can do is cry." she told the struggling vampire as she pressed herself close to the petrified girl "How beautiful is this?" she asked, her voice heavily tinged with madness "Is this not true art?"

Looking at Moka, who was just staring at her, Hitomi shrugged. Everybody was a critic "Well then, it's about time I put the finishing touches on you." she said, casually sticking her hands in her pockets.

"Nooooooooooo!" Moka cried. Hitomi grinned. It was so nice to see the girl squirm in fear of her fate.

If only she knew. For while Moka was squirming in fear, Hitomi had remarkably little to do with it. For the fear she felt was not caused by what was going on around her, though that was suitably terrifying. Rather, it had more to do with what was going on insider her pretty little head…

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Moka had quickly come to the conclusion that Hitomi was too far off the deep end to be negotiated with. That was why she had been trying to break free. But this was made harder when another obstacle presented itself.

_**"MOKA! Let me out!" **_her inner voice cried insistently. _**"Release me, and I will easily defeat this insect" **_

Moka mentally fought back, not willing to give her Inner self the satisfaction.

_**"If you do not, that woman will petrify you, and by extension me! That is something I will not allow. Let me out so I can save us!" **_I-Moka tried again. This was it. If she could get her Outer self to surrender now, then the body would be her's again. And after she defeated this lunatic, she would be easily able to get an antidote for the poison, thus saving herself and her body.

_"I won't do it!" _Moka fought back, physically and mentally. Pushing back her Inner self while also snapping several snake-hairs.

I-Moka frowned _**"If you don't there is a good chance that you will suffer a fate worse then death!" **_

Moka just shook her head, her will absolute _"Better to go down in control of my body, then as figment in my mind!" _she threw back.

I-Moka seethed. She had had enough! It was time she and her other half had a heart-to-heart. Reaching out, she mentally grabbed Moka's mind, and pulled her into their shared (though predominantly controlled by I-Moka) mindscape.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

O-Moka blinked as she found herself, not in an art storeroom, but rather an illustrious bedroom. In fact, she could **swear** that this was her bedroom from back home. But how…? Feeling a pressure on her throat, Moka looked down, finding her Inner self holding her a foot off the floor with one hand. Said hand was wrapped around her wind pipe, and was quite close to squeezing her life out.

"Listen here you insufferable pest" I-Moka said, her voice much harsher and colder now that she was standing right in front of O-Moka. "The time has come to end this pathetic charade, and time for me to reassume my rightful place as dominant controller of this body." she declared, her voice as regal as a queen handing down an execution to some unfortunate soul.

Moka struggled for air, staring into prideful eyes that she hated so very much "Over my dead body!" she managed to squeak out defiantly, much to her other self's amusement.

I-Moka's grin became absolutely feral as she heard those words "As you wish" she said as her grip tightened.

Moka realized that if she didn't act, her life would be snuffed out, and the real world would be left to the tender mercies of her other half. Thus, she would have to do something she had wanted to do for a long time.

Drawing back her leg, I-Moka surprised her silver haired double, snapping the limb forward with a mighty crack, the the blow hitting dead on. I-Moka lost her grip as she soared backwards, slamming into the backboard of her four poster bed. The silver haired killer glared at her twin as she landed lightly on her feet. This ended now.

With a speed O-Moka wasn't prepared for, I-Moka rose and slammed her fist into I-Moka's stomach with the force of a freight train.

As she doubled over from the pain, I-Moka grabbed her by the scruff of her neck and tossed her bodily out through the door. O-Moka grunted in as she slammed into the wall beyond the door. Luckily, she managed to duck out of the way of her counterparts follow up punch, which left a fair crater on the hallway wall.

From her lowered position, O-Moka snapped her leg up, catching I-Moka in the chin with a ferocious kick. Her mouth was slammed shut with a mean click, and I-Moka wondered if she had just chipped a tooth.

Recovering, I-Moka clasped her hands together as though in prayer, and with a lightning fast movement, slammed them down on the rising O-Moka's head.

O-Moka gasped as spots danced in front of her eyes. She felt I-Moka grab her head, and move it towards the wall. Unwilling to go quietly into that good night, she lashed out with her right fist, smashing it right into I-Moka's baby-maker. While not quiet as damaging as it might have been on a male, it was still powerful enough to make her double wince in pain. Freeing herself, her left hand grabbed the front of her opponent's shirt, before pulling her into a head-butt.

But she wasn't done yet. O-Moka had several days of suffering to pay back in kind. While she normally wasn't a violent person, she could feel something in her driving her forwards, rooting for her to succeed. So, following those instincts, she grabbed a fistful of silver hair, and slammed I-Moka's pretty face against the wall. Then, she ran forward, dragging her inner self's face along the wall, leaving a slight trench.

O-Moka was furious. Not only was her renegade personality fighting back, she was **Winning!** This was unacceptable. Lashing out with her leg, not unlike what her other self had done when this started, she swept O-Moka off her feet. Tucking her arm in and pushing her elbow out, she slammed down on the O-Moka's stomach with her elbow with enough for to cause her to caught up a mixture of saliva and blood.

Pulling her gasping counterpart up, I-Moka hurled her with all her might towards the balcony which overlooked the main lobby. With a mighty crash, O-Moka flew through the railings, and into open space. But alas, gravity was cruel, and quickly pulled her down to the unforgiving ground below.

O-Moka hit the ground hard, and felt as though darkness were overtaking her. That was it. She had lost. And yet… she felt as though something were pulling her consciousness back to the waking world….

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Crona had really started to panic. He could feel Moka's wavelength fluctuating wildly, and the feeling of fear that washed off of it was palpable. Hell, he could sense it near a mile away. He wanted to get there as quickly as possible, but there were just so many hallways and doors that stood in his way. So… he improvised. Ragnarok coated his skin with a layer of Black Blood, and from there, nothing could stand in his way. Nothing. Students, faculty, doors, walls, etc. He ran through them all like a preverbal juggernaut, knocking anyone to slow to move out of his way aside.

Using that method, it hadn't taken long at all to reach the Art Room. And after smashing through the wall, he came upon a horrible sight: Moka, bound up in what looked like scaly hair, with snakes biting into her flesh. What was more, wherever the snakes bit, the surrounding skin seemed to darken and petrify, as though it was becoming stone.

Following the snakes back to their source, he was hardly surprised to find Hitomi glaring at him. He'd make sure to dismember her later, but for now, his friend needed him.

"Don't worry Moka" he tried to reassure the struggling vampire as he approached. With a thought, Black Blood covered his fingers, forming claws not unlike those of the Reptile Men. "I'm not going to let you turn to stone!" he said, as he started cutting at the snakes with his new claws.

Hitomi frowned. "Damn you! Don't be a nuisance!" she growled as several snakes positioned themselves to attack Crona. She had never liked Crona. She had always felt there was something… off about the boy. And now, here he was trying to take her latest art piece form her.

Seeing the snakes about to attack, Moka tried to warn her valiant savior "Crona, run! Don't get turned to stone!" she cried out, even as her warning turned to cries of pain as two more snakes sunk their teeth into her already stiff leg.

Crona's eyes were hard with determination as his claws lashed out and cut the heads off the offending snakes. "I won't…I can't go without you Moka" he said.

At that moment, Hitomi's snakes attacked. Several of them rushed forward to take a bite out of Crona. However, none were strong enough to pierce his skin. Every last one of them found themselves chipping their teeth on his iron skin.

Alas, they did still serve as a suitable distraction. While Crona batted and swatted the snakes flitting around him, Hitomi sent a few more to finish Moka. She tried to scream, but her voice was quickly turning guttural, as though she were trying to cry through mud.

Hitmoi grinned. Even if Crona did interfere, he would be to late to save the girl. Turning to Moka she looked into her terror filled eyes "Turn to stone, and feel eternal suffering, unable to move!"

Crona froze, unable to believe what he was seeing. Moka had fallen over, her eyes wide as they locked with his. Her mouth moved, but her words were soft spoke as her throat started to petrify.

"Crona… thank you… for being… my… friend" she whispered. And then she was silent.

Crona felt something in him crack. Then it broke. He had failed. He had been unable to protect his friend when it counted most. She was gone because of his weakness! She was gone, and it was **All His Fault!**

_**No. **_

It was not **HIS **fault. No… the fault lay at the feet of someone else. Even now he could hear her laughing as her snakes circled her; uncaring if she destroyed lives or crushed bonds. She was… just… like… **HER!**

And now… all he could see was **HER** her image overlaid that of Hitomi. And just the sight of her was enough to make him _sick. _Wait! Not sick… _**Mad. **_Not angry mad, no, this was something much worse. This kind of feeling brought out something in Crona, that few people had ever seen, and even fewer thought he actually had.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Hitmoi had been happy to celebrate her victory with a little mad laughter. For all his bravado, the boy hadn't been able to save the girl. And yet…

Even as she looked at him, hunched over her statue, back to her, she felt a twinge in her chest. She knew it wasn't regret; she had stopped feeling that long ago. In fact, it felt almost like… fear?

And then she saw it: the boy's aura. So powerful to be in the visible spectrum, Hitomi watched as the aura of the boy snapped and crackled in the air, forming bizarre shapes that belonged only in nightmares; eyes off the face of some demonic beast leered at her from the shadows, and words from invisible mouths whispered threats to her very being on the edge of her hearing. The black aura clung to the floor and walls like a palpable substance, and the room actually seemed to get darker. As for Crona himself, as he stood up, Hitomi was sure he was getting taller.

And then he turned to face her. As his eyes locked with her's Hitomi thought her heart stopped.

His once blue eyes were now angry black slits. Gone was the look of strong determination, instead replaced by a look of insane hate. He clenched his fists so hard she was sure she heard bones creak in protest. Then he threw back his head and screamed. All his hate, his sadness, his fear, his insecurities, and his madness mingling as one dreadful scream. A scream which climbed higher and higher in both pitch and volume. Soon glass cracked, and every monster around campus with enhanced hearing dropped to their knees in agony. Even lesser monsters, while not able to hear what some heard, felt their bodies tense as an oppressive aura bathed the school. Students and teachers alike felt as though reality was coming undone around them, as though their very sanity was slipping out of their ears.

And then, just like that, it stopped. All of it. The screams and the horrible feelings all went away so suddenly, that many questioned if they had been their at all. But deep down, they knew that what they had felt was real.

But their was one spot where the oppressive feeling still lingered. Inside Hitomi's storage room, the sound of the screams may have left, but his aura of madness had not. He said not another word to her, as his settled into a stance. His feet were shoulder width apart, and both his arms were pointed at the one person who had drawn so much ire from him.

Then the attack finally came.

_**"Bloody Arrows" **_

From the skin of his arms burst several black arrows. They immediately made a beeline for the unfortunate art teacher, who could only watch as they curved around the various statues in the room in order to reach her.

But Hitmoi had no intention of dying so easily. With snake like grace and skill, she danced over and around several of the arrows, which slammed into the wall behind her, cutting through it like a chainsaw through paper. It took all her concentration, because those arrows were wicked fast, but slowly but surely she made her way to the only available exit: the large whole in the wall that Crona had made when he first came in. She couldn't use the door that went from the storage room to the art room, because in all the hubbub, Crona had ended up right in front of it.

In what felt like hours, but in reality was only a matter of seconds, she found herself only a leap away from her getaway. If she could get into the hallway of the school, she might be able to use some of the students as shields against Crona's attack. Though… if he was what she suspected he was… after all, only one kind of being exuded a feeling like **that**. Though… how in the Hell did one end up at Youkai Academy? For that matter, since when was there more then one?

Perhaps because she was so caught up in these thoughts, Hitmoi wasn't fast enough to dodge one of the Bloody Arrows. The arrow struck the top of her shoulder, spinning her about in mid air. As it sliced through the skin, Hitomi felt like her mind was shattering. The awful aura sunk in through her wound, and she could feel the foul energy inside her.

_**"Where do you think you're going? I'm not done with you yet!" **_Crona's voice said. Though whether he had said it out loud or just in her head, she had no idea.

_**"Bloody Plate!" **_

A second before her feet touched the ground, a large black arrow formed under her. The arrow was pointing directly at Crona. As soon as Hitomi's feet touched the arrow, she felt a force rush through her; and before she could utter so much as a yelp, she was propelled through the air towards her assailant.

As she flew towards him, Crona formed a large broadsword, and took a position to take Hitmoi's head off as she flew by. But the art teacher wasn't done just yet. One of her hair snakes lashed out and caught onto one of her former statues. With a jerk, she pulled it towards her, where she promptly threw it at Crona. Crona, seeing an innocent bystander coming right at him, had to force himself not to smash the statue to get to Hitomi. The old him might have done it anyway, but the new him… no. Maka never would have done that. And no matter how angry or crazy he was, he still wanted to be a better person. But this meant that just before his blade struck the statue, he willed it back into liquid form, allowing the statue to pass through unharmed. It also allowed Hitomi to pass through as well, given that she was so close behind it.

This all took place in the span of seconds, yet to the combatants, it might have been hours. Hitmoi, now safe, flew passed Crona and right to the door he was blocking. Crona spun on his heel to face her, and saw her lips spread in a cruel smirk.

"I wouldn't be focusing on me so much brat." she said, before pointing at Moka's downed form. "If you hurry, you just might be able to save the girl. So what'll it be kid?" she asked. With that, she turned and ran as fast as her feet would carry her. After all, she wasn't going to take any chances by being alone with a Kishin any longer then necessary.

Crona watched her go, becoming more and more aware of the writhing tentacles around him. Their movements were smooth, almost hypnotic. Snake like. Just like… **hers.** Maybe… maybe he was more like her then he thought…

NO!

He crushed that thought immediately. He wasn't like her! He couldn't be! He was good… mostly. He was kind… generally. And more importantly, people loved him… right? He had friends…? That was something **SHE** could never claim.

While he could do magic (his mother was a witch), he tended not to do so. In fact, the only times he ever used his magic was when he was under **Extreme** duress, like he had been. Mostly because his own blood was a far better weapon, but there was another reason: the use of his magic reminded him to much of… **HER**. And he didn't want to do anything more then necessary that would remind him of her. Thus, the plate and arrows saw little use. This lead to him being somewhat out of practice with his magic, causing him to tire after several consecutive spell. The fact that his magic only really surfaced when he was in emotional turmoil probably didn't help.

Crona clenched his fists, but he knew she was right. He would save Moka. Turning to her statue-like form, he ran through a list of options in his head. Only one had a chance of saving Moka right away. Maybe their was a chance the school could help, but right now, he couldn't be sure. He was panicking, and that was what lead him to do what he did next.

Crouching beside Moka, Crona extended his pointer and index finger, Black Blood forming around them in the shape of a needle. _"You know what to do, right?" _Crona asked mentally. He was really exhausted from his little magic stunt earlier, so he would have to rely on Ragnarok to complete the rest.

That said, Ragnarok was more then prepared for the job. So, without further words, Crona plunged his fingers into Moka's chest, the Black Blood needle hitting her heart. Immediately, Crona started to pump his special blood through her, with one goal in mind: destroy the venom.

So, all throughout Moka's body, tiny Black Blood cells flew through her, locating and destroying the petrifying toxins. Slowly but surely, after what felt like hours, Moka's body started to return to normal. The Black Blood healed all her wounds, and in no time, she was back to normal.

However, the Black Blood had another effect, which Crona did not know about…

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

The mansion shook. Inner Moka looked around as she descended the stairs towards her fallen double. Outer Moka had reappeared not too long ago, but seemed to be in no condition to fight her. She would have gloated, had the situation with her body not been so dire. Against her better judgement, she had watched as best she could through the Rosary what was going on in the outside world (she could no longer use Moka's eyes, given that they were now stone). What she saw was both magnificent, and horrifying. She knew the boy was not something to be trifled with, and that aura only made her all the more certain that she needed to get away from him.

Then the boy had shoved his fingers in her chest! She would have been more offended, except at that moment, she realized the implications of what he was doing! Turning from the ceiling she had been using as a window to the outside world, she made to rush her twin to finish her.

But it was too late. From the hallways around the fallen Outer Moka, a flood of Black Blood washed over her. Inner Moka could only watch in horror as the blood changed everything around it, and then saw it quickly headed towards the upper floor.

She ran, but the semi-sentient mass was close behind. She felt the air displacement as a tentacle of the foul blackness lashed out at her. Jumping, she lashed out with a roundhouse kick that knocked the blob back. For all of a split second.

Coming to her main bedroom, I-Moka decided that was where she would have to make her stand. Reaching the door, she slammed it shut behind her. Not surprisingly, the door held up about as well against the wave of Black Blood as a tissue would against the ocean.

The Black Blood slammed her into the opposite wall as it flooded her room, the horrible sensation of madness flooding through her with every second it touched her. She tried to fight back, but this wasn't an enemy she could defeat with brute strength. Which meant that there was very little I-Moka could do as the Black Blood pulled her under, the lights going out as she was surrounded by the horrible blackness. She struggled for all she was worth, but it weighed her down like a blanket of liquid steel. She found it harder and harder to breath, both from lack of air and the intensifying madness aura surrounding her.

Just as the light at the end of here tunnel vision started to close, and I-Moka honestly began to believe she was going to die… it stopped.

The change was so jarring that I-Moka had to take a moment to make sure she hadn't gotten whiplash. When she was sure she was perfectly fine (at least physical speaking) she began to take not of her surroundings.

It was darker now then it had been before. What appeared to be pink candles floated around her, making strange shadows flicker across the room. From their light, she could see that the entire floor was now the checkered black-red pattern that came from the Black Blood's taint.

"Are you really just going to keep sitting on the floor like that? That seems so silly!" a calm voice called to her, gaining her attention immediately.

Looking up, her eyes widened in surprise to see her formally beaten and battered double looking back at her. Only now… she was definitely different.

The bruises, as well as all the other injuries, were gone. Her school uniform had been replaced by a beautiful black sundress, over which a dark red smock was placed. She was sitting quiet comfortably on a small stool, her body facing an easel and canvas.

Standing up shakily, I-Moka took note that what was once her bedroom, now seemed to have turned into some sort of art room. Art supplies were pushed to the corners of the room. On the walls were various paintings O-Moka had made during her lifetime. I-Moka sneered. How she hated her double's passion for art.

"You should really be careful. Your face might freeze that way if you keep doing that" O-Moka said with a small smile before glancing back at her current painting, and adding a few more brush strokes.

_**"What have you done?" **_I-Moka said with venom in her voice. While her duplicate seemed perfectly at ease, she found herself short of breath, uncomfortable breathing in the madness tainted air.

O-Moka smiled "That's easy. I've won" she said simply, quietly enjoying the stunned look on her Inner Self's face. "With Crona's help, I've managed to take control of my body back completely. I'm also pretty sure I've managed to get some of my true vampiric powers back from you as well" she mused. I-Moka blanched. That would mean that her Outer Self could possibly be as strong as her **In The Real World!** And if that was true, O-Moka would never have a reason to take the Rosary off! She could effectively be trapped here, in this awful room, **FOREVER!**

That is of course, assuming she wasn't erased first.

O-Moka giggled, as though reading her twin's thoughts. "Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you. I'm not even going to cut you off completely from the outside world" she told I-Moka to her great surprise.

_**"Why?" **_she asked cautiously. The smile on O-Moka's face widened, and for once, the kindness behind it seemed… false. And, though it was faint, I-Moka could detect the fires of madness flickering behind the nicer vampires eyes.

"Well you're still me, silly! To destroy you, would be to destroy apart of myself" O-Moka chastised slowly, as one might a child. "As for the other part… well" here, O-Moka let go of her brush (which remained floating in the air, unsupported) and snapped her fingers.

I-Moka felt a strange sensation about her ankles, and looking down, felt fear rise up within her. She was rapidly turning to stone. Far quicker then the poison used by that damnable art teacher, I-Moka was sound frozen up to her neck. She could do nothing as the other her walked up to her, that serene smile never leaving her face, even as she turned her Inner self to stone. Despite it being encased in stone, she could feel her heart beat quicker then ever as O-Moka stood and approached her.

"Don't get the wrong idea; I still really hate your guts for what you made me think about Crona" she said, stopping the petrification as it reached O-Moka's head. "Consider this your punishment. Or at least apart of it. Unlike before, **I **control the mindscape now. And I wont allow you to wander about willy-nilly causing trouble." she said, reaching out and flicking her Inner self on the nose, to her own great amusement. "However, I still want you to be able to see what's going on outside, in **my **everyday life. Because that's what it is: **My Life**. Not **our** life, and certainly not **your** life. My life." she leaned in close, her forehead almost touching the silver haired vampire. "And I want you to watch me enjoy ever single second of it for the rest of my life. The life you tried to take from me, will now be all that you will know" and with that, she turned and sat back on her stool.

Inner Moka could say or do nothing. Not even a final curse could be uttered before, in an instant, the once powerful vampire was turned into a stone statue.

Outer Moka smiled at the statue, enjoying the expression on her other self's face. Turning back to her painting, she added the final brush stroke before standing and preparing to leave. As she faded back towards the conscious world, she took one last look at her latest piece: the painting was that of her Inner Self, frozen in stone, a look of horror and pain on her face. Turning her head, she saw the actual statue of her body's would be usurper. Her body was just as it was in the picture. Perfect.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

As her eyes opened, Moka saw that she had been moved to the Academy's infirmary. Looking around, she saw that she was the only one there, which surprised her a little. But that feeling was quickly overtaken by a different feeling: Peace.

She felt no trace of her other half in either her body or her conscious mind. Oh, she knew that she wasn't completely gone, but Moka had managed to imprison her nice and deep in her psyche. Hopefully deep enough to never work her way back out again.

She could already feel the benefits of defeating her less pleasant half. The decent, undisturbed sleep, for one, had worked wonders for her alone. Flexing her hands, she could feel strength coursing through her. She smiled lightly, things were definitely looking up. Now if only…

"MOKA! I'm so relieved you finally woke up!" Crona said, quickly making his way over to her side. In his hands was a tray of food, which he quickly put down. He reached out hesitantly, but then embraced her. Moka was surprised. Normally she had to be the one to embrace him. Still, it was so nice, being in his arms, feeling his touch, without shuddering in revulsion at the nightmares sent to her.

Resisting the urge to just snuggle all day (which was very, very, VERY, tempting) she leaned back and looked at Crona. "Crona… what happened? I thought I was going to turn to stone?" she asked.

Crona looked awkward, rubbing his shoulder "Well… after I chased Hitmoi off, I thought I was going to lose you. So I… I pumped some of my Black Blood through you, and had Ragnarok remove all the poison. That turned you back to normal. After that, I got you to the infirmary."

Moka nodded that made sense. The sudden influx of Black Blood would have given her enough strength to throw off her oppressive other half. Looks like Crona had saved her in more ways then one. She listened to him talk about the other stone students, and how they had been cured soon after her, thought not by him. That made her glad. Saving a girl's life was likely to make you quite popular with them. She had enough competition for Crona's heart as it was.

Sighing, she got Crona's attention. "Crona… I want to apologize" she said slowly. Crona's eyes widened. He wasn't sure what she was sorry for. "I… I've been avoiding you and the others, and I don't think I treated you fairly. I was… dealing with a lot of person issues, and I didn't want you to worry" she tried to explain to a wide eyed Crona "But in the end… I think I made you worry that much more. That was wrong of me. I shouldn't have cut off my friends when they could have helped me" she knew it was silly of her. A part of her said that if she had tried to tell them, her other half would have broken her mind completely. But that didn't sit well with her. She truly believed that, had she been stronger, things might not have gone as far as they did. Heck, she probably wouldn't have gotten mixed up with Hitmoi-sensei to begin with! (which reminded her, she would have to find out what had happened to that painting. She wouldn't need it now that she was sure she wasn't going anywhere, but she had worked hard on it, and she didn't think she could deal with the idea of of just not completing it).

Crona listened to Moka's sorta confession, unsure how to deal with this development. In the end, at Ragnarok's encouragement (i.e. threats of bodily injury), he reached out and put both if his hands on Moka's shoulders. Then, stuttering all the way he said "I-I'm… glad you-you're sa-safe Moka."

Moka's grin lit up the room. She was glad that Crona bore her no ill will, though she felt she should say the same thing to the others. Wrapping her arms around Crona, she drew him towards her for a tight hug. For some reason, she didn't feel the need to try and drink his blood. Instead, she contented herself by taking in his scent.

Leaning back, she looked at him happily _'I love you Crona' _she thought, as she slowly leaned closer towards a confused Crona. This was it… she was finally going to kiss him and confess her love!

"Hey! Moka's awake!" Kurumu cried outs she stepped in to the room, holding a plate of cookies (Moka wasn't sure if they were meant for her or part of a plan to seduce Crona, but they were good either way). Quickly following her were the other members of the merry Newspaper Group: Gin brought flowers (which weren't half dead this time, how thoughtful!) and tiny little Yukari brought up the rear (offering one of her voodoo dolls, which while sweet in thought, made her embarrassed as she remembered what one of those had made her do!)

"We weren't interrupting anything were we?" Gin asked suspiciously, looking at the furiously blushing Moka. Crona thought just looked confused; he was pretty sure nothing had been interrupted.

Moka sighed. In the end, she couldn't say she loved him. Oh well, she'd get him eventually.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Not long after the celebrating started, Gin left. He knew when he wasn't wanted, and sadly not one of those girls wanted him around. Instead, he figured he'd get a jump start on his work for the paper, and headed back to the Newspaper Room.

Once there, he started going over all the facts and reports he'd managed to get from Crona, as well as the school officials he could get to talk to him. He'd need Moka's too now that he thought about it. Turning, he saw a stack of pictures on the desk. They were the photos of all the missing girls. Picking them up, he looked them over one last time, mentally marking off each girl that had been recovered from the Art room with the photos in his hand.

One by one, it seemed each girl was accounted for. Except one: Tamao Ichinose. The head of swim team still hadn't been found. The other mermaids were no help, and all leads had turned up dead ends.

Gin frowned. Something wasn't right here. The way the mermaids had reacted to his questions, and the way she had just up and vanished… there was a real mystery here. A mystery he planned on solving. If something really had happened to this girl, she deserved some justice. He would make sure she got it. No matter what.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

**OMAKE: Whatever happened to Hitomi Ishigami? **

Hitmoi growled as she looked over the school newspaper. The headline of the day read _'Art Teacher Who Kidnapped Female Students Has Been Indefinitely Suspended! Kidnapped Girls Safely Returned'_ (it was a very long headline). Crumpling up the rag, she threw it to the ground.

She hadn't yet been able to leave the school grounds yet, despite what anyone may have thought. She was waiting for the heat to die down before she left, so she could grab a few supplies. That said, she had been forced to hide in a little cave that was in the cliffside overlooking the ocean the Academy just happened to built near.

Sighing she sat on the ground, lamenting her downfall at the hands of the Kishin brat. Suddenly, a piece of paper smacked her in the face. Feeling her eye twitch she plucked it off and gave it a glance.

Surprisingly it looked like it was written by the very same brat that had caused her current sorry state. While she was very tempted to tear it to shreds, a small part of her decided she should at least read it before tearing to to shreds. After all, what harm could that do.

So, without further thought, her eyes began to take in the words on the paper…

Many would later assume that the winds by the cliffside were extra vicious that day, or that perhaps some poor specter was venting their emotional torment. Because for the next several hours horrible, ghastly weeping sounds rang out by the cliffside. It was as thought someone had experienced something so horrible, that their very soul was breaking.

But, really, it couldn't be any **living** creature making such noise right? After all, the only thing around the cliffs were some dead trees. Oh, and a single piece of paper that drifted up and away, just waiting for someone to pick it up…

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

**OMAKE 2: Ragnarok the Painter**

Hitmoi looked over her class as they painted, their work ranging from the impressive to the mediocre. Glancing at the boy Crona, she saw that his work was… somewhere in-between.

However, it was the little black creature that caught her eye. It too was working furiously on a project, but from the angle it was leaning, she couldn't see anything.

Stepping towards it, she saw it lean back in satisfaction _**"Done" **_it said simply. Looking over it's shoulder, her mouth popped open.

"Hitmoi-sensei, are you alright?" one of her little followers asked. Sensei's face had turned bright red, and she was sure she saw a bit of blood dripping from her nose.

"Yes!" she suddenly went ramrod straight, casting glances all about the room. "Class dismissed, you may all leave your unfinished work here. Mr… Ragnarok was it? I'm afraid I'm going to have to… confiscate this painting" Hitmoi said, desperate to get the painting alone.

_**"What! No way lady!" **_Ragnarok retorted, reaching out and keeping Hitomi from covering his painting. He and the art teacher wrestled back and forth, a confused Crona between them. Hitomi didn't want anyone else to see it! If they did, then they would…

A loud gasp rang out as the painting got knocked forward to land on the table in the center of the room. As one, every person, boy **and **girl, all passed out, blushes and bloody noses for all of them.

Word quickly spread of the painting of such… explicit nature that the weak willed passed out at the sight of it. More importantly, word spread of the master painter who created it: Ragnarok. While at first reluctant to make anymore 'dumb doodles', after offers of getting paid came, he quickly changed his tune.

It wasn't long after selling his amazing work (some so powerful that those who looked upon them immediately started… copulating with the nearest thing available, be it alive or not.), that Ragnarok was approached by someone very special. He was a world renowned author, known for making books of such quality that they made grown men giggle like school girls. He had always had trouble getting women to read his books, and it seemed that his books weren't selling like they used to. That was why he was there. He wanted Ragnarok to paint the illustrations for his book. Or allow him to write the story behind one of Ragnarok's illustrations, whichever.

And on that day was born a partnership the likes of which the world had never seen. Jiraiya, author of Icha-Icha Paradise, and Ragnarok, painter of…. the Hard Core. Together, they helped spread their message across the world 'Make love, not war'. And with their combined talents, people did just that. They no longer made war, instead they made hot, sweaty, nasty, passionate… love.

And Crona? Well to be honest, he didn't know how to deal with any of it.

**End Chapter 6**

**Well there it is folks, a nice long chapter (counting in at 20,835 words) and two Omakes! I really hoped you enjoyed this chapter, as it took a long time to make. This chapter focuses more on the character development of other characters (thus why he doesn't play much of a role until near the end). We've also planted the seeds of... something in Gin, which will lead to... who knows! As for what Crona said to Yukari? Well, you'll just have to wait and find out! HAHAHAHA! Also, I addressed the questions about Crona having magic due to his heritage. He choses not to use the magic, since it reminds him of Medusa, and tends to only use it in a high emotional state. So don't expect him to be whipping out Bloody Arrows (his version of Vector arrows) or Bloody Plates (vector plates) very frequently. **

**Also, here's a question: what sort of magical theme does Yukari have? In the RV-universe we've seen Crows and Plants, and in Soul Eater we've seen Frongs, spiders, snakes, mice, etc. So what magical theme does Yukari have? And if she doesn't have one yet, what kind do you think would best fit her?  
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**Now, in a bit of self promotion: Please check out my other stories, the newest of which is a Naruto/Care Captor fanfic. You may also enjoy Naruto In Hell (which alas is currently experiencing a bit of a dry spell as far as ideas go). If you like combat, then check out either one of my Deadliest Warrior stories (one has fictional characters, the other doesn't). I've been experiencing a lot of plot bunnies lately, and I'm tepted to write them down. Oh well, we'll see how that goes.**

**Again, I really hoped you all liked the chapter, especially after how long you had to wait for it. If you did enjoy it, please tell me, by leaving me a review with that special magical review button. Also, while I'm sure it doesn't need to be said, please don't Flame. Helpful critisim is one thing, flames are another. I hope you all have a wonderful day, and I'll see you (hopefully) soon with the next chapter. **

**Until Next Time...  
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	7. Dealing with Blackmail

**Oh hello again all my wonderful fans! How are you today? I know I know, I'm truly sorry for the long wait, but I have a good excuse: College! The week I finished writing this chapter, I was hit with test after test that needed studying for. That's what put this off for so long. But hold up, let's look at some reviews:  
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**pyromania101: Glad you liked it. We haven't seen the last of I-Moka, & Gin will get his own subplot. The Poem will Never Die!  
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**Zoomatron: Yeah, we will have some divergence from Canon, more so later on. As for the question... you'll have to wait.  
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**NightmareSyndrom: Yeah, the fact that they were both Moka threw me off. Also, I did not know that about 'getting hit down there'. I always figured that was a guy centric weakness. Moka's behavior change won't happen all at once, but it will be there.  
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**ussopking: Awesome.  
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**Draco Oblivion: I'm glad you like this chapter, but don't feel too bad for O-Moka. She'll be back. Gin... Gin will be around. The Poem will never die! A rabbit you say... makes me think of Rukia! Glad you thought it was epic.  
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**Random Fanfic Fan: Thanks, I'd never seen it done before; and that was part of the reason I decided to do it. Gin's side story will be more... fleshed out later. College really eats up the writing time. Oh, don't worry, I will take it into consideration.  
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**Anonymous: Glad you like it. Yeah, sometimes I get messed up when it comes to the two Mokas.  
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**Anonymous2: I'd like to think that, since his heart to heart with Maka, Crona has found this sort of thing easier. Don't worry, Crona's magic won't show up all that often.  
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**Mary Sue Lover: Glad you like it. Household objects? Yeah that does seem like it in the manga. If Crona had a theme, I'd think it would be blood or sound. As far as I have planned (which I'll admit isn't that far) there is no 'father figure' for Crona. As for Ruby... no comment.  
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**FanReaderWriter: Glad you liked it. I type as fast as I can, but real life is a drag man. Look for Soul Eater Characters around the time of the festival... maybe.  
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**Drake G. Reaper: Thanks, and don't worry, I-Moka is down, but not out. She'll be back, and I can promise you this: She won't be happy. Spiders huh...hmmm.  
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**Anonymous3: Yeah, those little cameos are mostly for me. And I'm surprised too. Oh well.  
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**Kenshin El: Glad you caught that. Maka... maybe in the future.  
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**Fan-Anon: Yeah, I think I wrote that part after having bought the entire first season. I'm very happy you like it.  
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**cronamaka: Glad you like it. As for your question... you'll see later.  
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**dwskulldemonmen: Sorry, no spoilers.  
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**Baron von Nobody: Thanks. Yeah, but the spells won't come up very often. I appreciate the advice.  
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**The Infamous Man: **Thanks. Gin will get to play detective, in a sub plot that will work over several chapters. ****

**nice: Ah well, each fight is different. Yeah, real life makes updating harder then I would like.  
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**succubihunterreluctant demon: **

**Random Person: Ok, here's another chapter.  
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**Hales: Glad you like it, here's another!  
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**narutofan020: Glad you like it. And I'd only go to the Academy if I could be in Crona/Tskune position. Lucky Bastard.  
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**Ryuu: Glad you like it. And don't worry, Inner Moka isn't gone for good.  
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**Animeguy1101: Thanks, I try. She calls him Lord for the same reason Medusa was called Lady. She thinks highly of them because all she knows about them are second hand stories, and like a kid she's idolized these women in her head. Having very little to do with the witch world, she was not made aware that Archne was a murderer; but all witches know to fear the Reaper. A summoning theme? That's different, but I'll take it under advisement.  
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**Ultimate Black Ace: Dark? Oh, trust me, you haven't seen anything... I mean... uh... no comment!  
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**thelegendarysupernerd: Glad you liked that.  
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**DragonGolem: Thanks.  
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**SovietSniper92: Glad to have you on board. Yeah, I'd like to think I've gotten better. Yeah, while Crona can overwhelm most enemies, he'll soon be up against some tougher folks. He does have weaknesses, but not many people know them and can exploit them. It's entirely possible this will end up a Harem fic, you never know.**

**Well alright, let's talk about this chapter a little bit shall we? I'm just putting this out there right now: This will push the border of what can be considered T for Teen later in the chapter. If you're familiar with this weeks enemy, you know why. This chapter focuses more on Kurumu then the others, so there won't be much Moka craziness this time (Though I think last chapter should have filled that quota up for a while). This chapter is less comedy more... well you'll see. Also, I got the chance to fix the one thing that always bugged me when this took place in the manga! What was that you ask? Well, no sense in stalling any more; let's dive right in to another chapter of  
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_-Dealing With Youkai_ Academy-**Chapter 7: Dealing with Blackmail**

Our story takes place, where it is hard to judge the changing of the seasons. Deep in another world, the private Youkai Academy exists for monsters to attend. Heavy clouds hang overhead in the sky. The temperature is never hot or cold.

Crona gazed out the window, watching as a stray bit of lightning flashed across the sky. He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't even notice someone was addressing him until they stood right next to him.

"Crona you silly-willy! You're spacing out on us!" a cheerful upbeat voice said. Turning, he was nearly face to face with Moka, whose smile was so bright it was almost literally lighting the room. "Only two more days until the newspaper is printed. It's a lot of work but let's do our best ok!" she said cheerfully, twirling a pencil in her fingers.

Crona scratched his head sheepishly "Sorry, my mind was just somewhere else for a second" he explained. He watched Moka closely (Not that way!) as she practically bounced on the balls of her feet. It was strange, but after the events in the art room, she'd been a veritable ball of energy!

Moka nodded enthusiastically "I know what you mean! It seems so sudden to have this deadline so soon after everything that's happened!" she said, thinking back to the events involving the schools former art teacher.

But no matter how sudden, speed is the livelihood of the newspaper business! That meant that both Moka and Crona needed to get back to work right away, because there was no time for dillying or dallying!

Kurumu stretched, popping her back and jutting out her chest towards Crona "I can't take this" she complained "It's finally saturday and we're all packed in here." Kurumu sighed internally. She cast a glance at Crona; knowing exactly what she'd like to be doing this evening.

Yukari nodded sagely, her mind only partially there "It's true. We're like mangaka being chased by a deadline." she observed "And we're not even getting paid!" she added as an afterthought.

"STOP BEING BABIES!" Gin shouted from his spot at the front desk "A newspaper's the same as a manga, with strict adherence to deadlines!" His argument might have been better received, had he not had his feet kicked up while he read an old copy of the newspaper. "The incident with the art teacher that's gonna be all over the front page was two days ago, Thursday! Ain't no one gonna call us a newspaper if there ain't no reporting immediately on her." he explained. He then took a swig of his coffee, while leisurely turning the page of his paper "I'll listen to your sob stories after you make the deadline." he finished.

Moka's eyebrow twitched at the sight of the lazy editor "Then would you please help us out instead of relaxing over there drinking coffee!" she shouted waving her fist. The idea of walking over to him, and slamming his smug face into the blackboard was very appealing to her right now. Slamming it over and over and over and over and over….

Yukari giggled as she watched the normally calm Moka berate Gin "He's letting it go to his head, just like a manga editor." she said, turning to Crona. As she looked at him though, her heart beat faster as she thought about what he'd told her…

Crona just tilted his head to the side "Umm… why do we keep connecting this to manga?" he asked, looking at Ragnarok in askance. Ragnarok shrugged, not getting it himself.

Suddenly, Crona felt a tug on his sleeve, just before he was roped into Kurumu's soft embrace. "Well I don't care what I'm doing as long as I'm with my Crona" she purred as she held him tight. Crona blushed at the contact, while Kurumu's actions drew Moka's ire. With surprising speed and quickness, the vampire pulled the succubus away from Crona, where they immediately engaged in a heated glaring and growling contest.

Yukari cheered, summoning popcorn with her magic "The endless quarrels are starting again! Weeee!"

Kurumu glared all the harder, ready to end this argument so she could get back to cuddling "Moka, you may have managed to steal him away from me when you played the damsel in distress, but I'm not about to let that happen again! I'll never ever let you have Crona!" she declared.

Moka jerked back, surprised that Kurumu would bring up her near stone experience as though she had planned it to steal Crona's attention.

_'That is probably something you would do isn't it you two bit floozy. Get in my face and say that, and we'll see how cute you look with out a tongue…' _Moka stopped herself and blinked. Were her thoughts always so violent?

Gin only paid half a mind to his writing staff, too absorbed in his own work. While it may not look it to them, he really was working… just not on this. He was still busy trying to piece together the mystery of the boy called Crona. The boy was a fucking ghost! Not in the literal sense of course, though there were rumors that Danny Fenton over in 3A was a specter… Focus! Crona's records were sealed tighter then a goblin's wallet, and no one in his list of connections had the clearance to get it opened. Why was this seemingly frail and weak boy's file so heavily guarded? The boy was a mystery, and a potentially dangerous one at that. For instance just what **was **Crona really? Where had he gone to school before this? How and why did he possess the ability to attract women like a freaking light house! (okay, that was really more of a personal irk he had with the freshman then anything).

Whatever Crona was, it was certainly a top tier monster. That fact that he easily mopped the floor with several high class monsters was proof enough. And that horrible feeling that emanated from his aura… nightmarish! All the more reason he had to keep digging. There was a story here, he could just tell! And he was going to blow the lid right off it!

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Unbeknownst to the members of the newspaper club, two of its female were being watched from afar. High up in a tree away from the Academy, a shadowy figure watched Moka and Kurumu though the end of a camera. **(Gee, I wonder if this guy will be our antagonist?)**

"Uhuhu there you are my beloved one." he muttered huskily. He watched the one he loved stick her tongue out at the pink haired girl "Aaah! You're so cute! Just watching you like this isn't enough, I can't take it anymore." he continued, his voice growing louder.

He giggled madly "Just you wait! Soon I'll be holding you in my arms!"

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Eventually the bickering settled down and the gang got back to work. Everyone was working hard when Shizuka came in to check on them. "Is everyone working hard?" she asked, her bubbly personality on high today "I brought snacks!"

"Nekonome-sensei" Gin nodded politely from behind his laptop where he was actually working on the newspaper (eventually even he realized he needed to step up for the greater good of the paper)

Shizuka turned to the group leader "Well, is the work continuing?" she asked as she surveyed the room, clearly seeing the hard work of the group members "It doesn't even look like I need to ask does it?" she chuckled.

Moka looked up from her station, her face still as bright and chipper as it had been when she'd first spoken to Crona earlier "There are a lot of cuts and a lot of pages, it's a lot of work." she said, but the smile never wavered even an inch. It was kind of creepy actually.

Shizuka turned away from the creepy smiling girl to the others who were examining the contents of the care package she'd brought them "Well come on, eat the snakes and cheer up ok!"

Crona looked green "Sensei? This is fish is raw…" he trailed off as he looked at his teacher. Surely she didn't expect them to eat uncooked fish did she? He didn't know how to deal with eating raw fish!

Shizuka nodded "It's delicious that way!" she exclaimed enthusiastically, ignoring Yukari gagging from the smell coming off the fish.

As the witch and Kishin tried to figure out what to do with the raw fish Shizuka turned to address the last member of the newspaper group. "Oh yeah, Kurumu dear," she started, getting the blue-haired girls attention "this letter was dropped off in front of the classroom." she told her, handing her a sealed envelope.

Kurumu blinked as she took the letter. A letter for her? Who could it be? Flipping it over, she saw that back was imprinted with the words 'to my beloved Kurumu' and was signed at the bottom as being from someone called 'Nagare'. That just made her all the more confused. Who was this guy, and why send her a love letter now? Did she know this guy? These were all things she pondered as she opened the note.

What she saw nearly made her drop the note. Inside the envelop was a stack of photos. And every last one of them was of her, in a provocative pose, or in some state of undress. Not only that, but also included was a letter stating:

_If you don't want these pictures to become public, come alone to the 'Monster Tree' in the main schoolyard. Signed Nagare. _

Kurumu's face flushed crimson as she clutched the package in her hangs. She didn't know what to say, or think.

Crona must have sensed something was wrong, because he looked over his shoulder at her "What's wrong Kurumu?" he asked innocently.

Kurumu nearly jumped. To have her sweet Destined One see these pictures would be too much! Thinking quickly, she buried the offending pictures and blackmail letter at the bottom of the Newspaper Club toolbox. She knew what she had to do.

Turning to face the rest of the club, Kurumu swallowed hard. "Ahahahaha!" she laughed loudly in what she hoped was a convincing manner "I kinda remembered I have to do something so I'll be taking off, ok!" she said as she head towards the door with a little wave.

Everyone was shocked "But the deadline!" Crona said, pointing at the stack of papers he was working on.

"Take care of the rest for me!" Kurumu answered as she dashed out of the room.

Moka blinked, surprised at Kurumu's sudden change in behavior. _"Oh well" _a voice in the back of her head said _"This just means that with fun bags gone with can make some time for our man over here" _it said, referring to Crona. Moka blinked and rubbed her head. That was weird…

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Kurumu quickly made her way to the Monster Tree, eyes darting about to find the one who would dare have the gall to blackmail her! She nearly walked under the tree before he gave himself away by speaking to her.

"Hey, I've been waiting for you!" he called. Looking up, Kurumu got a look at Nagare. He was a pale, pale kid, with long greasy hair that hung down so low that it completely covered his eyes. "So you saw those pictures and my letter… I'm glad!" he spoke again, his voice as nasally and slimy as the rest of him looked "Long time no see, eh Kurumu?" he asked pleasantly, as though he wasn't totally blackmailing her.

Kurumu found herself frustrated by his laid back attitude "Who are you?" she demanded "What do you want! Calling me all the way out here with those dirty pictures…" she trailed off, realizing that she didn't have the pictures on her. She nearly had a panic attack when she realized that she'd left them back at the Newspaper room, hidden or not.

Nagare hopped lightly down from the tree, and brushed himself off "I took really cute pictures of you right?" he said, "I really liked them!" he took a few steps towards her, his face glittering with what looked like sweat…. or slime. Either way it was a little creepy to Kurumu, who took a few hasty steps back.

Nagare offered her a small grin, as though unaware he was heavily perspiring "I'm Nagare Kanou. Don't you remember me?" he asked.

Kurumu thought hard… she did vaguely recall someone who may have looked vaguely like the boy in front of her. It must have been right after school had started, and she was still in her 'harem phase (of course now she knew she would never need anyone other then Crona).

She remembered how excited she had been when he had asked for her picture. And then she remembered that she had indeed told him that if he took a really good picture of her, she would go out with him… crap.

"That meeting was fate!" Nagare said, spreading his arms wide in happiness. "I've been waiting all this time ever since then!" Looking at Kurumu, he saw that she wasn't exactly enthusiastic about the idea of going out with him.

Nagare leered at Kurumu "Go on a date with me right now just like you promised Kurumu." he leaned towards her, his body looking even more sweaty and gross then it had been earlier. "Unless you want 'those pictures' to be shown to the whole school?" he said menacingly.

Kurumu gulped, it looked like she had little choice in the matter.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Moka sighed as she leaned back and looked at the clock. She knew she should be working, but her mind was having trouble focusing. It kept bouncing all over the place; from bunnies to Crona, to slaughter, to Crona, to sex, to Crona, to her work, to Crona, to Kurumu… Moka eyed the time again.

"Kurumu isn't coming back." she remarked.

Yukari, annoyed at having to pick up the slack left by Kurumu's absence, found herself unsympathetic. "We have no use for people who run away like that." she said candidly.

Crona frowned, that sounded unduly harsh. He was sure Kurumu had a good reason for being gone.

Moka's mind dwelled on the succubus, trying to dissect the inner workings of the big-breasted babe's mind. "You know, I wonder what Kurumu thinks of the Newspaper Club." she said aloud, her face becoming pensive good cheer dying down.

Both Yukari and Crona turned fully to Moka when she said this, wondering where the vampire was going with this train of thought.

Moka bit her lip as she spoke her thoughts, her hand unconsciously working on the paper as she did (and doing a damn fine job to boot). "Kurumu is here because she like Crona, right?" she said, thinking about how often the succubus had proclaimed Crona to be her 'destined one'. It was almost as often as she claimed she hated Moka.

Moka noticed the looks she was getting from Crona and Yukari and immediately looked back down at her desk. She began to write with a frantic pace unlike anything the others had seen from her "The truths is that maybe she doesn't think of us as friends." she said in a rush, wanting to get the unpleasantness out of the way, like removing a bandaid in one quick swoop "Because going off like that at such a time for everyone is really weird!" there, she'd done it. She spoken her mind (and nearly shouted near the end), let the chips fall where they may.

Everyone blinked, their minds processing what was said. Yukari's mouth opened and closed repeatedly. She may not have been happy with Kurumu, but she liked to think their little back-and-forths were a sign of some camaraderie. She had never had many friends, and she valued her new ones greatly.

It was hard to tell what Gin was thinking. He just sat there, looking disinterested.

Nekonome looked at her students, her trademark cat grin giving way to a frown. _'Oh my, and just when I was thinking that they were all so good at working together. It seems the team ins't as close as I thought." _

Crona though would have none of it. He had never given up or betrayed a friend (the time he had betrayed Maka's trust still haunted him), and Kurumu was no different. He didn't get why Moka was suddenly saying this "What are you talking about? You've been getting along so well… right?" he said, his mousy voice ringing loud in the silent classroom. "Look, I'm sure it's just that Kurumu had something important to do today, so that's all it is." he said, trying to sound upbeat (which for him, was amazingly difficult).

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

"H-hey, what is all this?"

Kurumu was as red as a tomato as she tried to adjust the gym cloths that were clearly to small for her. "Why do I have to change into gym shorts for a date?" she asked the obvious. This was not at all what she had been expecting from the little weasel who had the nerve to blackmail her.

Nagare would not be deterred "It's a pretend photo shoot!" he said with ecstatic glee "Oh Kurumu you look so good in those!" he practically squeal as he took out his ever-present camera and started snapping pictures a mile a minute.

Kurumu would not be treated this way! "This isn't what I meant by a date! Stop acting like a-"

"Oh, are you sure about talking to me like that?" Nagare interrupted her, a creepy grin on his face. As he saw Kurumu's mouth snap shut, he chuckled "I have this special ability of finding out what a girl's secrets are." his eyes practically glowed beneath his mop of hair as he spoke "I know all about you Kurumu!"

To really drive the point home, he leaned in and whispered what he had found out in his digging to her. For legal reasons, what was said cannot be posted here. Rest assured, by the time he was done, Kurumu was very red, very embarrassed, and quite certain that those things could never be said to anyone she knew and respected.

"Maybe I'll just tell ev-er-y-thing to Crona, hmmm?" Nagare said, taking a mock thinking pose.

Kurumu gasped, her red face turning pale so fast she nearly lost consciousness (she made sure to resist the impulse, not knowing what Nagare might do if she did). She felt her eyes water at the thought of someone like Nagare speaking to her destined one "What do you know about Crona!" she shouted, but her voice was wavering "Stop…anyone but Crona…"

Nagare's mood changed instantly "Great! Then how about we do some Cosplay!" he said, removing a frilly maid's uniform from a large bag, which Kurumu could see had a myriad of costumes in it.

And like she thought, Nagare made her pose in each of them. _"This sucks… this guy is going too far. Maybe I should use my powers of illusion as a succubus to control his mind so that he can't disobey me." _she thought, changing out of one costume and into the next. _"No… I can't do that. Because I stopped doing those awful things after I met Crona." _she reminded herself.

But as the costumes got more and more risque she couldn't help but wonder _"What should I do? And to know everyone's working so hard for the club when I'm doing this." _

_**"You could just tell Crona" **_a little voice in the back of her head whispered _**"Our destined one is so kind and so understanding, he would never hold this against you." **_

Kurumu shook her head of that thought. The idea of Crona finding out what Nagare had done made her feel dirty. What if he didn't look at her the same way again?

_**"Don't be silly" **_the softer, more calm voice said. _**"You should know better then that. Crona has taken care of problems like this before. Remember those three that bullied Yukari? Crona laid down the law with them; and she hasn't seen them since" **_the voice pointed out. _**"And what about Moka? Gin actively tried to mate with her, and you remember what happened to him, right? Broken ribs, internal bleeding, and then he got thrown off a roof!" **_Kurumu had to admit the voice had a point. She could only imagine what Crona would do to this slime ball.

And yet… she couldn't. For her Destined One to see her in such a vulnerable state, might be to much to bare. Her race was suppose to be proud, strong; they were the ones who were supposed to dominate and humiliate men, not the other way around! She had to find a way out of this on her own, for the sake of her pride…

_**"Hmph, so you care more about your racial pride then you do about him… so sad" **_the inner voice said, before going quiet. Kurumu would have gotten offended, but Nagare had come back with more costumes. It was going to be a long night.

Finally, when the moon was high in the sky, and after twelve costume changes, Nagare finally let her go. When she finally got back to the Newspaper Club room, she saw light coming from under the door. She wondered if everyone was still working hard.

Opening the door, she felt an amazing amount of killer intent directed at her. Everyone in the room glowered at her, their eyes filled with rage (well, except Crona. He just looked tired and disheveled.) It was clear they were pissed, and she was most likely going to get yelled at. Kurumu braced herself for the backlash…

"Welcome back Kurumu" Crona said, his voice just as kind as ever.

"You're late." Moka bit out frostily, making the bluenette flinch.

Yukari stood up from her desk "We'll we're just about to finish up work for today." she said, not looking at the taller girl "We decided to work hard tomorrow and finish up the rest…" she trailed off, looking like she wanted to say more to Kurumu, but wasn't sure how to articulate it. She looked over her shoulder at Moka, then quickly ran out of the room.

"That means you can leave too, Kurumu." Moka said, following the diminutive witch. It wasn't normally in her nature to be bitchy, but she and the others had been forced to pick up the slack because Kurumu had played hooky.

Crona was the last out. He looked at Kurumu concerned. "Um… I don't really know how to deal with situations like this, so…" he bit his lip and rubbed his arm, a gesture Kurumu found cute "But… is something wrong Kurumu?" he asked, finally. "Cause… you can tell me if you want. I won't tell anyone if you don't want me too." he seemed to slump into himself "Cause, you know… that's what friends do?" he had meant it to be a statement, but from him it had come out like a question.

Kurumu knew this was her chance. She could tell him, and then watch as he bit the tar out of Nagare! All her troubles would be over…

And yet…

A part of her couldn't bring herself to do it. To admit helplessness to her Destined One. To admit her own failings as a Succubus. To acknowledge her wounded pride. And that was why she said what she did:

"Nope, nothings wrong. Nothing at all." she gave a forced smile and an even worse chuckle. Crona didn't look convinced, but didn't really have the strength of will to call anyone out on it… so he just slowly shuffled out of the class, leaving Kurumu alone with her thoughts.

Kurumu could only sigh, looking at the empty classroom, the place she should have been all day. As she looked over the supplies, she thought of how she used to be so stuck up and made men into her slaves using her powers. Since she had been treated so special, she had never had a real friend… and at the time she had thought she didn't really need one. And now she was paying for her stupidity back then.

Kurumu felt tears come to her eyes "I've got to apologize." she whispered.

"Hey, what's wrong Kurumu?" a familiar, slimy voice said, chuckling behind her.

There was Nagare, fiddling with that damn camera again "Well, today was really fun wasn't it." he said, ignoring Kurumu's protest of how it most certainly was not "Let's have some fun tomorrow!" he suggested.

Kurumu couldn't bare to be around this insufferable jackass anymore "Nagare what are you doing here? And there is no tomorrow, the date was just supposed to be today!" she screamed, about a second away from going full monster on Nagare and slicing his manly bits clean off.

Nagare just stood there, cool as could be "That's a really cold tone you're taking with me, should I show the pictures I took today to Crona?" he asked, stepping towards her, his slimy skin glistening in the light.

That took all the wind out of Kurumu's sails. All of her anger and confidence drained away as easily as water down a drain before that treat "What, no! You told me you wouldn't show them to anyone…" she said in near panic.

Nagare's grin was wide and unnatural as he spoke "Then we'll have some more fun tomorrow right?" he asked, though it was clearly a rhetorical question "I'm not going to let you go now!"

Kurumu felt her legs get weak "No… any time but tomorrow…" she muttered weakly. Finally, she couldn't bare to be in the same room with Nagare any more and practically flew out the door, screaming "Stop Following Me!"

Nagare just blinked, before rolling his eyes. She'd come around eventually. If not, he could always just ruin her life with those pictures (though he might just do that anyway, just for fun).

Turning to leave, he spotted the Newspaper Club's supplies left out on some desks. Walking over to it, he picked up a large stack of papers "Hmmm… a half finished newspaper. This is nice!" he said, though frankly he thought the photography could use some work.

And that was when he got an idea. An awful idea. Nagare got a wonderfully… awful idea.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

The next day screams of shock and fury could be heard all the way down the hall as the Newspaper team gathered the next day.

"They're gone! The drafts we had half finished yesterday… they're all gone!" Moka screamed _"Wait… why would I say that. We can all see that they're gone, so who am I telling?" _she thought, her mind taking a sudden twist as she found her focus drifting away from the subject at hand.

"I don't know how to deal with someone stealing our work." Crona muttered, his fists clenched. Ragnarok popped out and quickly gave his two cents:

_**"You track down who took them, then beat them until they cry for their mommy… then you beat the mommy too for raising a thief, just for good measure!" **_he said, slamming his fist down on the table.

"What do we do?" Yukari asked, looking from Gin to Crona "We won't make it in time if we do them all over."

"What about the back up copies?" Gin asked, his voice serious for once.

Yukari went to check, only to jump back from the computer "Yaaah! All my data was deleted! My backup disk is gone too…" her eyes widened in true horror "And on top of everything else, they read my diary!" she said, before wiping her hands on the sides of her skirt "And for some reason, the keyboard is all slimy, like there were slugs crawling on it." she said in disgust.

Kurumu's breath caught at that, knowing what could mean. This did not go unnoticed by Crona, who saw a look of understanding pass through Kurumu's eyes.

_"It's him! It's clearly evident he was the only one in here other than me last night." _Kurumu thought, thinking about how she had left Nagare alone in the room last night _"Then this is just more blackmail towards me by him keeping those drafts he is trying to make me do as he says." _Kurumu realized she was panicking, as she had no idea what to do.

Gin slammed his hand down on the desk, getting the attention of the whole room "Damn it, there's nothing we can do! We don't have time to search for the thief now." Gin actually growled in anger. He may be a major flirt, but he cared about his newspaper dammit. "Start from the beginning again!" he ordered, getting shocked faces from all around. "It doesn't matter if there's not much on each page, just do something!" he practically shouted, sending everyone scurrying about. Except Kurumu.

Kurumu knew she had to do something. It would be irresponsible of her not to stop Nagare if she knew he was the one who had taken the paper. But if she told the others she knew who had taken it, that would lead to all sorts of embarrassing questions about how she knew, and that would lead to why she was absent yesterday.

Therefore, she just couldn't tell them. "Um… guys…" she spoke up, getting her friends attention "I-" she froze, knowing that if she went through with this, her friends would likely hate her. Even Crona's endless patience would probably run dry with this.

"What is it Kurumu?" Yukari asked, already setting up her station for a very hard day of work.

"Well, I, uh… that is" Kurumu stuttered, something in her fighting her plan to bale on them.

Moka stepped towards her, concern on her face "Kurumu, are you alright?" her face switched from concern to suspicion "You're not planning on leaving us now are you? Not when we've got so much work to make up for!"

Kurumu's insides were a raging torrent of emotions. She was barely able to keep herself from tearing up. She could see the others looking at her curiously. And Crona, her beautiful Crona, how would he take this? She had to go though, because she had no idea what Nagare would do with the drafts if she told them the truth.

Kurumu opened her mouth, ready to tell the rest of the club she was leaving again. But just as she drew breath, everything slowed to a crawl. The world seemed to gray, and the world seemed to deaden in silence.

_**"You are being ridiculous." **_the calm voice at the back of her mind said, louder now then before. _**"You're so caught up in your emotions and your feelings that you aren't thinking rationally. Don't you see how much easier this would be if you told the truth." **_it asked.

Kurumu shook her head, hardly believing she was having an argument with herself "I can't! Then they might find out about Nagare's photos!" she protested.

The voice sighed _**"These people, they are your friends aren't they? And Crona is your Destined One, correct?" **_it asked. Kurumu just nodded, not sure where this was going _**"Then don't you think they would not only care about you enough to help you in this time of crisis, but also forgive and forget any misdoings on your part involving these pictures?" **_it asked, making Kurumu gape. _**"I know you think you have to do this on your own, but that is no longer necessary now that you have friends to relay on. Trust me, if everything you think about them is true, then you can bet they won't care a lick about the pictures. Not even Moka." **_the voice said in the most calm, reassuring tone it could.

Kurumu had to know "Who are you? Are you like my subconscious or something? Why have you never spoken to me before?"

The voice humphed _**"In laymen's terms, I'm the part of you that's not completely ruled by your tempest like emotions. I'm the part of you that thinks objectively, not whether or not my actions will make others like or dislike me, or improve my chances of getting into Crona's pants." **_the voice explained, making the succubus blush a little at getting that far with her Destined One. She was sure it would happen (as a succubus, she was quite sure it was inevitable), just not as soon as she might like. _**"As for why I've never spoken to you before, who's to say I haven't. I've been shouting at you in the dark for years, you just never listened before." **_Kurumu could tell the voice was annoyed.

"So what changed?" she asked. If what the voice was saying was true, and she wasn't just suffering a stress related break with reality, something had brought her closer with a more… shall we say rational part of her psyche.

_**"The boy, Crona. Ever since your encounter with him, I've felt us grow closer. It's as though he has truly made you whole, and even the parts of you that you ignored are coming to the surface." **_it told her. Of course it was mostly just guessing. It had no idea it was because of the black blood she'd taken in during the fight. All it knew was that before her fight with Crona, Kurumu never listened to her more rational mind. Afterwards, she could finally hear! That was good enough for the voice.

_**"Now then, enough stalling, tell your friends the truth. Now" **_the voice, her voice Kurumu realized, ordered as the world returned to color.

Everyone was still looking at her. The conversation had only taken a few heartbeats. _"I still don't know if I can do this!" _Kurumu thought, not sure how to begin.

_**"Oh for goodness sake!" **_her rational mind yelled, before mentally 'kicking' the words out of her mouth.

"I know who took the drafts!" she shouted, making everyone jump in surprise. Poor Crona couldn't take surprises like that, and fell over the back of a chair and crashed to the floor.

"You… you do?" Moka asked. This was the last thing she was expecting.

Kurumu just nodded. Gin walked up to her "If that's the case Kurumu, then please, tell us everything." Kurumu looked around the room, seeing all eyes on her, but not in the way she liked. Taking a deep breath, and with some urging from her subconscious, told them what she knew.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Nagare waited atop the old Monster Tree outside the Academy. He knew Kurumu would come to him. How could she not? He had her by the short hairs and he knew it. So it was no surprise to him when she came walking up the path towards him, with her head low in sadness. He just couldn't resist rubbing it in

"Hey!" he called out "So you did come after all. I had a feeling you would, my little Kurumu." he said in a sickeningly sweet voice. As she got closer, Kurumu saw him hold up a stack of paper and a small disc "Is this what you're looking for?" he asked, relishing the feeling of Kurumu's heated glare at him.

Nagare just chuckled, further fanning the flames "Well, in any case, this school newspaper sure is boring." he commented, flipping through some of the pages "The writing is very childish, and don't you think I'd be a better choice to take the pictures?" he continued, not noticing or caring that Kurumu was clenching her fists, her finger nails slowly growing and sharpening in her rage. "This thing would be better off burnt!" Nagare finished his rant with a flourish of his arms.

Before Kurumu's horrified eyes, he produced a lighter, the small flame dancing maliciously "Well, what're you gonna do Kurumu? What are you gonna do?" he moved the flame closer to the paper "If you want to protect these then do what I say today." he said, giving his ultimatum.

"And if you do burn the paper?" Kurumu asked coldly.

Nagare blinked, not expecting that. He… really hadn't planned what he would do if he did have to burn the papers.

Kurumu looked up at him, tears falling from her face even as she glared "Those are very important to the people I care about! And no matter what you do, I'll never forgive you for dirtying them!" she declared, her righteous fury ready to tear Nagare's disgusting eyes from his head.

Nagare looked back at her, his sweating seeming to kick into high gear. Now, he just looked down right slimy. "What, are you gonna defy me? You're going to go against the likes of me!" Nagare dropped down from the tree, his sweaty slime dripping dropping to the ground like rain drops. He was giving off an oder that smelled of sour milk and mildew; and frankly it was making Kurumu ill.

Suddenly, Nagare's arm lashed out, stretching farther then it should have. It would have hit her right in the chest, but a second before impact, a blur dashed in front of her and grabbed the appendage.

"I think we've all had just about enough of you." Gin said, holding the offending limb in a death grip. Nagare gapped as out of the foliage around them came the cavalry. From behind him Moka and Yukari covered the flank; Moka cracking her knuckles menacingly. Nagare couldn't make out what, but he was sure that the vampire was muttering something under her breath. If the way she was giggling was any indication, it was not very nice. She stood slightly ahead of the small witch, who knew her use in a fight would be somewhat limited. But she was determined to do her best for one of her friends, and the three very large and very heavy washpans reflected that.

And then there was Crona. His eyes were hard as steel and his shoulders were set. In his hands he held a broadsword that looked like it would have no trouble lopping Nagare's head clean off.

"Now Nagare" Gin said, having elected himself head of this little grouped (even though everyone else had elected Crona) "I think we need to have a talk about how you've been treating my staff." Gin growled, actually growled, as he spoke, his teeth razor sharp "Now you listen and you-"

He was cut off as the slim on Nagare's hand provided enough lube to slip right back to him. "No, you listen!" Nagare said, thin tubes poking out of the sides of his neck "I don't just have to rely on this blackmail crap! I'm a monster to you know!" he shouted, though his voice was shaky. He wasn't sure what his odds were for fighting all these monsters. "But I've still got a trump card to play!" and it was true, he did. One that should be taking affect right about…

Gin suddenly swayed on his feet, before collapsing to the ground, his body getting weak. Everyone's eyes widened, and they all went to move in on Nagare, but they were all feeling the effects too. Gin had absorbed a lot of the poison through his skin via the slim on Nagare's arm, but the musty smell in the air that had put everyone off was also a part of it.

Kurumu's heart beat quickly with fright as she slid against the wall of the building behind her. "Aw, what's wrong? What happened to your resistance?" Nagare mocked, smoke seeming to float around his head as he looked down at her "Now you're a good girl, just like a doll…" Nagare licked his lips, barely controlling his lust.

_"P-poison gas! It's him! He's releasing poison gas from his body!" _she realized with horror, watching as her friends had difficulty standing. Little Yukari had already passed out, and Moka was on her knees. But Crona was still able to stand! The attack having taken him by surprise, and it wasn't something he really knew how to deal with, but he had to try!

Crona turned to her "Kurumu, get out of here…" he gasp, accidentally inhaling more of the toxin. He raised his sword and gave a stumbling charge towards Nagare.

Kurumu knew to do as she was told in this case, and turned to the door of the gym storage room. She tried her best not to inhale, because she knew that path just ended with her completely paralyzed.

Nagare gave a wheezy laugh. Kurumu had realized his power but it was too late! Soon she wouldn't be able to run anymore! He turned as Crona tried to slice him with his sword, only for his attack to slip right off him. Before Crona's eyes, Nagare's body seemed to lose all definition, becoming blob like, with more and more gas spreading tubes growing on it. Nagare's eyes sprouted up like stalks, and his mouth filled with razor sharp teeth.

The mouth moved forward and bit Crona on the arm, making Crona shout in surprise. Nagare quickly gassed Crona, making him stumble backwards in surprise.

Nagare raised his body up, loving being able to look down on his victims. Sure he could only win by taking them by surprise, but a win was a win no matter how you slice it. "Don't worry so much about Kurumu." he whispered, enjoying the look Crona gave him. "I'll be sure to take **good **care of her. Who knows, there might even be something left over when I'm finished with her!" he laughed, and a paralyzed Crona could do nothing.

_**"Crona? What the hell are you doing?" **_Ragnarok called from inside Crona's head. _**"Why is there so much poison in our body? What were you thinking you idiot! When I get my hands on you…" **_Ragnarok shook his head internally. He'd punish Crona later. That was the last time he took a nap during Newspaper club. How could something so boring have turned into something so complicated?

_"Have to… help… must protect… Kurumu!" _Crona thought desperately, his limbs like lead. He filled Ragnarok in on what had transpired, and suffice to say, the little demon wasn't happy.

_**"WHAT! Why didn't you wake me, dammit! I would have loved to have been apart of this! And I wouldn't have been taken out as easily as you! God you're so pathetic Crona, without me to save you, what would you do!" **_And with that, the demon went to work. He knew he had to hurry; he wasn't about to let anyone else have what was his.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Kurumu panted as she tried to move her body despite the poison in her system. _"That creep! I can't lose to him. I'm definitely not going to let myself lose to him!" _she thought frantically, forcing her nails to grow out to battle length _"I've got to stall for time somehow and wait for a chance to retaliate…" _

**"Oh, hiding in the storage room, that's so cute!" **Nagare voice sounded from just beyond the door **"Could it be that you're inviting me in?" **Something brushed against Kurumu's rear, causing her to jump forward with a start.

To her shock, and eyestalk was poking out from under the door. Slowly, a gelatinous body oozed its way under the crack, a second eyestalk joining the first to eye her hungrily.

"What the hell is with your body?" Kurumu asked, scooting back as quickly as her body would allow.

Nagare chuckled **"It's nice isn't it?" **more of the body followed the eyes **"Don't you know a slug's body can go through the smallest of cracks? I am a slug monster! Thanks to that, I can sneak into the girl's room" **the slug creature rose up, taking up more and more space in the room **"And find out their secrets and weaknesses!" **

Kurumu blanched as the full implication of Nagare's confession washed over her "How… how many times… how many times have you done this kind of horrible thing to girls before?" she asked, a mixture of fear, disgust, and a dozen other feelings in her voice.

Nagare's head twisted at an unnatural angel as he thought it over. He tried counting on his stubby, slimy fingers but quickly gave up **"You know I don't remember!" **he said, sounding rather proud of the fact **"But you're the best prey I've ever had, Kurumu!" **

Nagare swooped down on her, his slimy body all around her **"Well then…**" Kurumu struggled against the multitude of slimy tentacles that slithered over her like something out of a twisted hentai **"Let's take lots of dirty pictures tonight!" **that wasn't helping.

Kurumu couldn't move, her energy was gone. Tentacles were caressing her face. _"NO! I've got to beat him!" _she thought desperately. But it seemed hopeless. Her body had stopped responding to her commands, and there was no one left who could save her. She wept silently as Nagare's slimy appendages worked their way under her shirt and bra, while a second set made their way under her skirt.

It wasn't supposed to be like this… she wasn't supposed to be deflowered this way, by some slug in a storage room. _"Oh god… please… someone… anyone… help me" _she thought, just as she felt her underwear moved to the side…

_**"NAGARE!" **_a voice roared, just as a pitch black wave of energy cut horizontally through the door and the wall behind Nagare. If the slug hadn't ducked, he would have no doubt been split in half. As it was, he turned his head just enough to allow Kurumu to see Crona step through the ruins of the wall of the storage room.

Only it wasn't quite Crona. It had Crona's general shape; but around the eyes was a mask, with giant white eyeballs where Crona's normal eyes would be. Instead of pupils, the eyes had little 'x's. Just like… Ragnarok!

Ragnarok, sensing there wasn't enough to time to purge all of the poison, had gone for the direct approach. Manipulating Crona's blood, he had simply moved the boy like a puppet. With no need to focus on resisting the poison, they had been able to launch one heck of an attack. And just in case Nagare was still belching smoke when the found him, Ragnarok had put a handy gas mask around Crona's ugly mug to protect him.

Seeing the position the two were in, and the look on Kurumu's face, made even Ragnarok's blood boil (though thankfully not literally). Ragnarok had made Crona do a lot of things, from murder, to kidnapping, to arson. But he had never rapped anyone. It was beneath him to do so. After all, someone as awesome as him would have no trouble getting the ladies, and to do… that… would be an acknowledgement that he couldn't. Something he would also never do.

Besides, the girl had pledged herself to Crona, which meant she had also done so to him. That meant that this guy was trying to steal from him! Clearly Nagare was in desperate need of some education…

_**"Now listen here you son of a bitch" **_Ragnarok started strong, his wavelength making the air tremble _**"That's MY girl you got there." **_he took another step into the room _**"And I don't appreciate you putting your slimy mitts all over her!" **_Black blood slipped out of Crona to form rotating buzz-saws in the air _**"If you don't get the fuck off her right now" **_he gestured to the floating blades _**"I'm gonna use these to peel off your skin, then eat your soul. So what's it gonna be?" **_Personally, Ragnarok was really hoping he resisted. Not that it would matter, this guy was dead either way.

Sadly, Nagare was very, very stupid. And stupid people do stupid things when they panic.

**"Stay back!" **Nagare cried, wrapping himself tight around Kurumu. In fear, his various tentacles had retreated inwards, with only a few still clinging to her body. **"Come any closer and I'll bite her head off!" **he threatened.

Kurumu felt a stirring in the back of her mind _**"Well now, I think it's time we showed Nagare here just why he shouldn't mess with a succubus." **_the voice that was her rational subconscious (which in itself seemed a contradictory statement) said. But regardless, Kurumu agreed. She was tired of being pushed around by this guy. Even when faced with Crona, he just wouldn't back down! And now she was being used as a hostage? She couldn't take it anymore! She felt like she just wanted to… wanted to….

"ENOUGH!" Kurumu suddenly shouted, wings shooting fro her back and through Nagare's hold. Before the slug could say anything, Kurumu had launched the too of them upwards and out through the roof, using Nagare's head as the battering ram to break through.

Once outside Nagare let go and fell to the ground, his slimy body splattering but not dying. There, Kurumu's friends were already awakening, and there they had the chance to bear witness to something… incredible.

"I'll….I'll show you" Kurumu growled, her aura spiking wildly "For myself… for my friends" the aura only went higher "For those other girls you terrorized" Kurumu looked into Nagare's eye stalks, who felt it was like looking into the eyes of the devil himself "You'll never hurt anyone ever again!" she screamed, and her eyes rippled with power.

The ground beneath Nagare quaked, and Nagare gave a shout of surprise as roots suddenly shot up through the ground to pierce his body. The curved through the air like bizarre snakes towards him "What's going on! The tree roots are attack? Why is this happening?" he screamed in fright.

Kurumu just stood there, her wings spread like a bat in mid flight, her finger splayed as though conducting a bizarre recital "I'll never forgive you! As long as I live I'll never forgive you for what you've done!" she screamed, even as tears slowly trailed down her face as she thought of what Nagare had put her through…

And before Nagare's very eyes, the tree he'd been sitting on earlier, pulled itself out of the ground, and lashed its branches at him. "N-no way! Is this a dream?"

He had no way of knowing that Kurumu had used her anger to draw on the true power of a succubus.

Nagare gasped as the tree's branches formed a noose around his slimy neck, and slammed him repeatedly into the ground. Despite his best efforts, he could not move his body.

"Take this!" Kurumu yelled, flying down from the tree's top towards him. With all her might, powered by frustration, hate, anger, and sorrow, she brought vengeance down on Nagare in one fell swing, raking her sharp as swords claws through his flesh, leaving a bloody trail over his body.

Nagare screamed in agony and, his body unable to handle any more, passed out. As soon as he did, the tree branches faded away. The damage to ground also faded. Everything that had happened was merely an illusion created by Kurumu's succubus magic, a talent only higher orders of succubi were said to possess.

But none of that mattered right now. Kurumu held up her prize, her wings folding back into her "The most important things! I… I got them back!" she held up the mostly completed newspaper and the disks containing all the backups. But that's not what she meant by 'most important things'. She had gotten her freedom back…

Crona started as Kurumu suddenly started weeping, folding into herself as the tears just flowed and flowed. He didn't know what to do! He didn't know how to deal with this!

Gin placed a hand on his shoulder, making Crona look up at the taller boy. "Listen Crona, I want you to take Kurumu back to her room. I'm going to go see Nekonome-sensei and let her know what's been going on." he turned to Moka and Yukari, who were both trying their best to comfort the crying succubus. "You girls, take the supplies back to the Club Room. We had enough done that I can finish up without you if I put my all into it. Come in early tomorrow if you can and we'll go over the rest alright?" he said, making the girls nod. Soon, Gin used his enhanced speed to go off in search of Nekonome-sensei.

Crona sprouted his dragon wings and flew back to Kurumu's room with her held tightly in his arms. Moka picked up Yukari and did her best to keep up.

Once there, they managed to get Kurumu to open the door, revealing her surprisingly neat room. But they weren't there to admire the decor, and laid Kurumu down on her bed. Once out of his hands, Crona immediately started pacing. Apparently the close encounter with Nagare was a little **too** close for her. Crona desperately wanted to help his friend, but didn't know what he could do or say. Even Ragnarok was quiet. He didn't figure this was the type of problem that could be solved by shouting 'Get over it' and slapping her, so he kept his mouth shut.

And along with the fear this experience brought, anger also festered. How DARE Nagare do this to Kurumu? How dare he do this to ANY woman! Oh, when Crona got his hands on that slimy sack of shi-

Then Nekonome-sensei hurried in, desperate to check on her student. Neko loved her students dearly, and when Gin had told her what had happened, her hair stood up on end and she nearly released her disguise in anger. But she knew there would be time for that later. Right now though, there was a girl in desperate need of attention. She could tell how much this bothered the girls friends, and the one small bit of light was how much they all cared for each other.

Wanting to talk to Kurumu in private, she ushered the others out of the room. They were quite resistant to the idea of leaving their friend alone, but she promised she'd get them when she was done.

Once the door closed, Yukari and Moka figured they might as well go back to the Newspaper Room and help Gin out. When they turned around to ask Crona what he thought… they were surprised to find out he was gone.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Nagare groaned, his body in pain from the ass-kicking he'd just received. Who knew that bitch Kurumu had such power in her? But he'd still have the last laugh! He'd simply dig up more dirt on her and all of stupid friends, especially that pink haired son of a bitch, and spread it all over the school! He'd teach them he wasn't some one you could step on!

He started to stand up, when someone stepped on him, knocking him back down.

Nagare yelped in pain, and looked up to see Crona standing over him. Nagare had expected a face of anger, of hate, even a questioning look as he was asked why he had done what he'd done. What he got was far stranger, and if he was honest, more frightening.

Crona was wearing a calm look, tranquil you might say. There was a faint smile playing about his lips, and it seemed to widen as he took in Nagare's expression. Nagare tried to back away, but felt a firry pain in his sides. Looking, his eyes grew in horror as he watched what looked like black fishing hooks sprout from the ground and pin him to the earth.

He reacted on instinct, and fired a blast of knock out gas at his attacker. But before his eyes, black blood seemed to flow from the pores on Crona's face, forming a protective gas mask. Crona raised his hand, and shot a needle from his pointer finger. The needle was fast enough to take one of Nagare's gas dispensers clean off. Then Crona fired another, and another. Both hit him, and pinned the small appendages to his body. Nagare quickly realized that if he didn't want to be a pin cushion, he'd better knock it off with the gas.

When the cloud of gas settled, the mask melted away to reveal Crona's smile was bigger, though the rest of his face had yet to move. Then he spoke.

"You did a bad thing Nagare" he said, and the slug boy felt the hooks in his skin tug him closer to the ground. "A really, really bad thing." Crona said, folding his arms behind his back, and leaning in closer to Nagare. "You made Kurumu cry, Nagare. Why would you do that? Why did you have to make my friend cry?" he asked simply, his voice never going above his average speaking voice.

Nagare didn't know what to say, his mind blanking in the face of fear. When, after few seconds, he failed to respond, several more hooks, bore into his skin. The way they latched on, and seemed to move beneath his skin made them feel more like worms; but Nagare got the message "I-I don't know" was all he could come up with for a defense.

Crona shook his head "That can't be true Nagare. You must have had **some **reason? So tell me. Please… I promise I can keep a secret…" Crona trailed off, his wavelength leaking into the air, seeping into Nagare's brain, poisoning his mind.

"I-I wanted her!" he cried out in panic as black worms seemed to wiggle around him.

Crona tilted his head to the side "But you knew she didn't want you…" he said softly, clenching his fists unseen behind his back.

"I didn't care what that bitch wanted!" Nagare cried, too afraid to lie anymore "I knew I could take her, so I did! And I would have done the same to any girl that caught my eye! I was tired of just watching girls, I wanted something more!" he cried, tears running down his face as the pressure seemed to increase, the air around him seemed to twist and bend like a nightmare come true.

Crona nodded as he listened to the slug spill his preverbal guts. Then he asked the next question "If we hadn't stopped you when we did… what would you have done to Kurumu?"

Nagare almost paused to wonder why he was being asked that, considering it should have been obvious, but was to afraid of this monster, no, this **demon** in front of him to think straight "I would have raped her!" he cried.

And just like that, the worms seemed to grow still, as though waiting for something. Crona's smile had faded, but the calm look remained "And then what? She had seen your face, surely you knew she would talk…?" he trailed off questioningly, like a prosecutor at trial. Because that was what this was really, a trail for the would-be rapist.

Nagare didn't have it in him to lie at this point, his mind simply wouldn't function properly to come up with one "I would have killed her! Slit her throat, eaten her, whatever! After she'd satisfied my needs I would've just gotten rid of her!" he screamed, practically foaming at the mouth like a mad dog.

"Okie dokie then" Crona said, he face breaking out into a grin that reached his ears, seeming to show far more teeth then should be possible. His eyes, once calm, now had the fire of madness dancing behind him. "That's all I needed to know. Nagare Kanou, I find you guilty of leaving the path of light. Your soul is truly bathed in darkness."

Nagare gulped "So, what… you gonna turn me over to the student police or something" as awful as that would have been, given the rumors about the yakuza like organization, anything would have been preferable to another moment in Crona's company.

Crona just shook his head "Nope, now you're gonna die." he said, cheerfully.

Nagare's eyes went wide, and he tried to struggle, to run away from this thing. But the worms wouldn't let him. They wriggled up and through him, tiny barbs on their skin sending waves of agony through him as they worked through his pudgy slug body.

_"~The worms crawl in, the worms crawl out~" _Crona sang, his voice high pitched and kind of girly as black blood shot out of his palms, which were still behind his back.

_~In your stomach and out your mouth~" _Nagare nearly vomited in agony as the black worms tore through his intestines and, like Crona said, started to work their way up his throat and out his mouth. Yet amazingly, he did not die.

_"~Your eyes turn into to slimy green~" _The worms did not crawl into his eyes (a small miracle that was lost on Nagare), but they did force them open, so he could not blink or look away.

Crona raised the finished product up into Nagare's range of view. The long handle was gripped firmly in Crona's hand, and as black as night. The head of the weapon was a large hammer. It was wider then Crona's entire body. On top of the hammer, instead of a spike like what one might find on a traditional war hammer, was the head of Ragnarok. Ragnarok shared the same grin as his partner, but for once stayed quiet.

_"~Your brain turns into whipping cream!~" _Crona joyfully finished the song, raising the large hammer over his head like an executioner's axe. The part of the hammer that now faced Nagare seemed to suddenly sport large red lips, which were licked by an equally red tongue. The lips took a deep breath of air, making the already wide hammer even wider.

Nagare tried to shout, yell, hell even sob a plea for mercy. He desperately wished someone would help him… and yet he knew no one was coming.

"Nagare…" Crona said, drawing his attention one last time. "Your soul is mine!"

And just like that the hammer fell. Literally. The black weapon slammed like a meteor into the boy's body, reducing it to so much mush and broken bones. Not only that, but the same instant it made contact with the body, the mouth on the hammer released a powerful hypersonic scream, further reducing Nagare to so much jellied slug.

Crona paused long enough for the mouth to consume the soul, the retracted all of the blood. Now the ground was only a large round indent and a red stain. Quickly sprouting black wings, Crona flew back to Kurumu's dorm.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Had Crona been even a bit more stable, he might have checked out the surrounding better with his senses. Because, far away from where he had executed Nagare, high in a tree, a girl sat, eyes wide.

Her name was Keito, a member of the Youkai Academy Safety Commission. She had been on her way to bring in one Nagare Kanou. They had received an anonymous tip that the boy was a notorious blackmailer, who had apparently been spying on female Safety Commission officers. When she had heard that, she decided she would be the one to bring him in for questioning. After all, they couldn't arrest him without proof (wow, couldn't even think that with a straight face. Yeah, they could and had done that before, and probably would have done to Nagare).

Yet imagine her surprise when she had felt a strange aura drifting on the breeze. Deciding to stay hidden, she had watched from afar as some student apprehended, interrogated, then executed Nagare without even blinking!

"I have got to tell Kuyou about this"

**End Chapter 7**

**Well, what do you think? Yes, the ending has officially set us up for the Safety Commission arch, but it won't be quite how you remember it! We also saw Crona take some damage in a fight this time. I figured there had to be something Crona was weak against, so I figured why not poison? Obviously Ragnarok would filter it out in time, but it would take a while. **

**And you probably noticed that Kurumu didn't try and do this all on her own. In the manga, it always bugged me that she thought she had to. If you had super powerful friends, wouldn't you go to them for help? ****And as for the voice in the back of her head... let's just say Moka isn't the only one the Madness is creeping up on..hehe. Not a lot of Yukari or Gin this chapter... oh well, they'll get their own centric chapter later, especially since they each are part of a subplot (the detective Gin subplot and the Yukari learning the truth subplot). Moka... Moka... I haven't really pinned down the exact nature of her madness just yet (which is in and of itself a quality of madness.) but expect her to be a bit more... erratic(?) in the future. **

**Sorry about no Omakes this time... the funny bug just didn't strike me. Plus, with the serious ending we just had, they might have felt out of place.  
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**And for everyone who commented: INNER MOKA WILL RETURN! SHE WILL MEET CRONA FACE TO FACE! IT WILL NOT BE A HAPPY OCCASION!**

**And... yeah. That about covers everything I want to say right now. As always I hope you enjoyed this, and if you did please feel free to leave a comment tell me such. If you want to flame, please do not. Constructive criticism is appreciated though. **

**If you think you have an awesome move for Crona to use in a future fight, leave it in the comments. I consider all submitted attacks, and if I use one you will receive credit. **

**In a bit of self promotion: If you liked this story, maybe you should check out all my others stories! **

**Alright, once again I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and I hope to see you again with the next chapter soon (or at least sooner then last time). **

**Until Next Time...  
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	8. Dealing with the Safety Commission

**Hello everyone! My how time has flown by! I bet you all are happy to see me again eh? Well I'm happy to see you too. But before we get to really chatting, let's look at some reviews...  
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** Random Fanfic Fan: Thanks, and trust me, we'll be going far and away from cannon before this is all over. And yes, I have read The Academy Phantom, and I do find it to be a decent read.  
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**narutofan020: Glad you could muster up the strength to review. Yup, we've reached the long awaited SC arch. **_**  
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**pyromania101: Yes they are, but now I'm FREE! And yeah, I don't care much for Moka's family either. How did such a sweet personality come from all that? Yeah, a guy like Nagare had to die, it just felt like it should happen, and I'm always surprised to see past villains in RV just walking around school like it aint no thang. Makes you wonder why the Art Teach bothered to run?  
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**Zoomatron: Ha! That's funny.  
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**Diablo200030002002: Thanks. Yeah, I think every form of madness should be unique; that's why its madness. As for Moka... her story arch is far from over.  
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**Majin Hentai X: Crona was always my favorite in the SE-verse, tied maybe only with Maka sometimes. And I will admit, I haven't read the last few chapters of RV, mostly because it only comes out like once a month, and I forget about it.  
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**Ultimate Black Ace: Thank you for your suggestions. They will be taken into consideration.  
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**Kaos and Magnus: Thanks. As for horror... I don't know. When I first started this fic, I didn't think I would make it as dark as it sometimes gets. That sort of thing just happens. So to answer your question... I don't know. I suspect that if it did, I probably have to change the rating from T to M, cause those two games are seriously DARK! And yes, Crona singing the lullaby would be very, very creepy.  
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**drake202: Thanks. And I will take your suggestion into account.  
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**Draco Oblivion: **Glad you liked it. Yeah, Crona's growing up. But its a fragile thing, and he can slip backwards very easily. **  
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**Spider's Claw: Thanks.  
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**slugboy: Thanks, Ragnarok is always so much fun to write, you can really just cut loose with him. As for your question... well you'll just have to read to find out.  
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**IzLiz: Indeed it is.  
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**Matthew Blackheart: Thanks.  
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**Xxsilentpride: Yup, I'm back! Hope you like this!  
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**Frosty Wolf: Thanks, but the changes won't stop here. Negatively affecting them... I suppose, that's a matter of perspective.  
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**The Infamous Man: Thanks. Yeah, Moka will likely get worse before she gets better. And Kurumu's 'rational madness'... oh I'm gonna have fun with that. As for SC... you'll see.  
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**Arael Tenebris: Thanks. Yeah, it can be hard. The trick is to write is to always keep at it, even if its only a little each day. And thanks, that sounds like a rather odd idea. If I ever use that, I'll credit you.  
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**none-existant but alive: Thanks... yeah, this thing is getting kinda long isn't it? Rubi will show up during the field trip arch, around chapters 13 & 14. Mizure will appear in chapter chapter 18. For more info, check my profile, where I've listed the names of the first 20 chapters. I think some people from Soul Eater will appear during the school festival. Thank you for the idea, if I use it, I'll credit you. Adding details? Well, it's just a matter of adding as many descriptive words and phrases as possible. For example, you can turn:  
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**Crona walked into a room. Moka was there.  
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**Into: Crona slowly shuffled into the the empty room, his eyes alighting upon the occupant. It was the lovely Moka, with hair so pink and a smile most kind.  
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**For action, you do the same: "Crona punched Gin" becomes "The furious Crona lashed out, striking Gin square in the jaw, the force sending the werewolf flying backwards."  
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**Always try and make an image with your words. Imagine your audience is blind, and has no idea what the setting or characters are like the first time around. Then, use your words to make them 'see' what you see. Try and be as clear and concise as you can. It won't be easy at first, but as time goes on, you'll get the hang of it.  
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**WikiSorcerer: Hmm... that idea is interesting, but not quite the same idea I'm going with. Thanks though.  
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**Baron von Nobody: Thanks, and he totally did. Ah, Kurumu's madness... the SC won't be as nice to Crona as they were in the Manga. Yeah, that should tell you something. And Gin's arch will take him to... well, no spoilers here.  
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**CroOkedTwiSted: Thanks, glad you like it.  
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**Godzillaking269: That's some high praise, thank you.  
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**Kawaii Youkai Hime: Thanks you.  
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**APG66: Thanks, and don't worry, Ruby's arch is coming.  
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**SovietSniper92: Thanks. Yeah, I've never though of Kurumu as all that helpless, and I liked giving her the chance to prove how great she is. And yeah, sometimes I get over enthusiastic and my grammar and spelling suffer.  
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**Animeguy1101: Thanks. And to answer your question: No. Outer Moka has only taken her strength and reflexes back. All the fighting knowledge and experience belong to Inner Moka, so Outer Moka can't get to it.  
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**Well, that takes care of that. Oh, by the way, a few of today's attacks are brought to you by reviewers like you. You should recognize your attack being used, and I thank you for it. If any of you would like to see Crona use an attack you think up, please leave it's name and effects in a review.  
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**This chapter begins the always popular Safety Commission arch. I've got plans for this arch, ones that will take us a bit out of the way of the cannon. Hopefully you all enjoy the ride. But enough chit chat, let's all dive into the next chapter of:  
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_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-**Chapter 8: Dealing with the Safety Commission**_

Yukari sat on the folding chair behind the booth that the Newspaper Club had set up. Today was the big day, the day when they sold their first newspaper! Gin was out finalizing things with the teachers, and Crona and the other girls had gone to get the actual papers. She had been left behind to man the stand.

Crona… Whenever she thought of him, her mind drifted back the conversation they had had back in the newspaper room just before the 'Art Teacher' Incident…

_**FLASHBACK!**_

_Yukari squirmed awkwardly at her desk. She could tell something was really bothering her Lord, but she wasn't sure how to bring it up. Finally, she decided she just couldn't sit in silence any more and asked "Lord Crona, is something wrong? You seem sad…" _

_Crona just looked at her, opening his mouth, before closing it "It's… nothing." he said, quietly. _

_Yukari frowned. How could she get her Lord to trust her if he wouldn't open up to her? "Please, you can tell me anything, I promise I can keep a secret! I've proven that haven't I?" _

_Crona just looked at her confused "Well… I guess, but why do you care so much Yukari?" _

_Yukari offered a small smile "Well… what are friends for right?" she said, inwardly hoping Crona saw her as a friend. A good friend. A friend who might one day become more then a friend._

_Crona though blinked at her with confusion "I… I don't know. I've only ever had one friend, and only for a little while." he admitted, thinking of Maka back in Death City. What was she doing right now, he wondered. Was she alright? Were her friends? Was she happy? _

_Yukari felt her heart ache as her Lord admitted that. How could someone as wonderful as Lord Crona only have had one friend? "Please, tell me about her" Yukari asked quietly. Whoever this one friend was, surely she must be someone special. _

_Crona gave a soft smile "Her name was Maka, and she was the first person to ever be nice to me" he said, recalling his first encounter with the blond girl. "We didn't really get along at first" He remembered how they'd battled in the church, and how he'd nearly killed her. "But…" he remembered fighting her again in the underground, but this time she seemed to be able to connect with him "She never gave up on me, even when I never thought I could have something like that…" he whispered, seeming to forget that Yukari was even there. _

_Yukari felt tears at the edge of her eyes at that. How wonderful this Maka person must have been. Although "Maka… that name sounds familiar. Was she a witch I would know?" she asked. _

_Crona shook his head, and answered without thinking "Maka wasn't a witch, she was human…" it was only after the gasp coming from his compatriot that he realized what he'd said. Internally he cursed himself for being so sentimental. He wasn't used to having to talk about his past, even if he recognized the necessity for it. "Wait Yukari, it's not what you think-" _

_Yukari, for the first time since he'd known her, cut him off "How could you possibly be friends with a human! Don't you know that they're evil?" she asked incredulously. _

_Crona shook his head and waved his hands trying to calm her down "No, really, they're not Yukari! Please…" he trailed off, seeing she wasn't getting it "At least not all of them…" he gripped his arm tightly like he did when he was nervous. Why did Yukari have to ask so many questions. He didn't know how to deal with someone so inquisitive! _

_"Think of them like witches" he said, once Yukari had stopped ranting about the dangers of humans "Most witches are good, like you, right?" he asked. _

_Yukari nodded. Of course witches were good! They got a bad rep to be sure, thanks to all those trouble makers who broke the Witch Laws, but she knew for a fact that most witches had to be good (though lately she was wondering if she really knew what good was, given that she had, until recently, believed Lady Medusa was good too). _

_Crona gave a small smile "Humans are the same way. Most of them are good, and don't mean witches any harm. But like witches, there are those few who actively hate witches, and its colored the view of the rest." he explained. He felt rather proud of himself actually. He had managed to get through that without a breakdown. Maka would probably call that progress. _

_Yukari nodded slowly; it made sense… a little. After all, outside of those nasty hunters who worked for the Reaper, how many humans had she heard of hunting witches. Yukari was a smart girl, and she knew that for the most part, humans didn't even really believe in monsters anymore. Still, the concept was so strange to her… all her life, she'd been raised to see Humans as the enemy. To try and think of them as anything else was pushing the limit of her young tolerance abilities. _

_Seeing the young girl deep in though, Crona turned back to his desk, and went back to his own thoughts. There the two sat, each in their own private worlds, waiting for something to happen to break the silence… _

_**FLASHBACK OVER!**_

Even now Yukari still couldn't help but think back on that. Friends with a human? It was so… unsettling.

"Come on Crona, please! Just a nibble before we have to start working!" Yukari turned as the object of her worship and Moka came round the corner, each baring more newspapers to be sold. Ragnarok was also clearly visible, fending off attacks from the hungry vampire while Crona carried the papers with some difficulty. Crona saw her looking their way, and offered a small, friendly smile. When she saw that, Yukari felt her worries melt away. How could she doubt his judgment? This was Lord Crona after all!

But though she refused to admit it, a small part of her brain was still working on where she'd heard the name 'Maka' before, and if she could ever really trust a human.

Crona's mind was occupied with an altogether different matter. He'd been walking by the mail room earlier, and realized he'd neither received anything from the outside world, nor sent anything. He wondered if the Grim Reaper had other ways of keeping an eye on him, before shuddering. He didn't know how to deal with being spied on! He was also… a little sad he hadn't heard from Maka. He'd had no illusions he'd get friendly letters from the others, but she at least seemed like she would ask about this new school.

That made Crona start; did Maka know everything about this school? She'd been there when the Reaper had said it was special, but she hadn't been there when he'd said why! Did that mean she didn't know about the monsters? Or had she been informed later? Maybe… maybe he should write to her? He knew the DWMA's address, and nothing was stopping him. What was the worst that could happen?

_**"She could throw away your letter without reading it." **_Ragnarok helpfully answered while delivering a haymaker to Moka to keep her off him, only for her to catch the first and bite his hand, sucking the black blood immediately; and Ragnarok separating from the limb before she could get too far.

Crona's hunch got worse, and a black cloud seemed to form over his head. Ragnarok realized that may have been a bit much _**"Though she probably wouldn't. She's such a goody-goody that a letter from you would make her day." **_he quickly added, which seemed to cheer Crona up. Ragnarok was about to add that the girl was so flat she'd be happy for some attention from any boy, even one as girly as Crona, but they were at the newsstand now and he didn't have time. Damn, he'd have to save that for later.

Gin showed up with the last of the papers and; utilizing his super speed, divided all the papers into stacks and handed a stack to everyone else. "Now, this is our first day, so we need to make a good impression! This is important news you're hocking, so do whatever it takes to sell a paper! You hear me! Whatever it takes!" then, having outsourced all available work, Gin sped off to hang out in a nearby tree, which provided him an adequate view of all the schools ladies…

The other club members shared looks at this expected behavior, before shrugging. Ragnarok, having no interest in selling the paper, and being told he couldn't threaten people into buying them (_**"But he said whatever it takes!")**_, had retreated inside Crona for a nap. That was his worst problem with this school. It was too exciting, and was making him miss his nap time.

But who cares what he thinks! It's time to sell some papers!

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

The student body was in for a treat as they walked from the dorms to the campus that morning. Because who should be there to great them but the lovely Moka and Kurumu!

"We're the newspaper club. Please take a copy of the school newspaper we made!" Moka said happily bouncing from one cluster of students to the other, her boundless energy making the normally peppy vampire seem super happy.

"The case of the disappearing female students, as well as many other happenings and news about the Academy are written in it!" Kurumu was just as enthusiastic, but didn't feel much need to jump around like Moka. The new, rational, part of her realized this would just attract the attention of more suitors. And while that was nice, Crona was really the only man she needed now, so anyone else would just be a distraction.

Of course all the men of Youkai Academy were more then happy to buy anything the girls were selling. As far as they were concerned, the front of the school had just become the gates of heaven, and they were the angels! They didn't even really care what was in the papers, just as long as they got the chance to talk to some of the hottest girls on the planet. Pretty soon Crona and Ragnarok were being called on to break up fights that were starting in front of the stand.

After Ragnarok had thrown the latest group of rabble rousers over the horizon (something he was enjoying far more then Crona, who really just wanted to hand out papers), Kurumu took the opportunity to glomp her beloved.

"I'm so happy our newspaper is a big hit Crona! I love you!" she said, squeezing him closer to her bosom. Ever since she had realized he was her destined one, she felt a desire to be closer to him emotionally, spiritually, and most especially physically. When she was with him, all her problems just seemed to melt away, and she felt like her mind was becoming clear.

"Kurumu! You don't need to hug Crona!" Moka felt a little differently about Kurumu's growing attachment to her (meaning Moka's) Crona! While she didn't mind being friends with the succubus, she was getting tired of the lesser demon thinking she could just love on her Crona. Sometimes it just made her so mad….

Kurumu responded by sticking Crona's head in her bust, something Ragnarok found hilarious "What's the problem, Crona is mine after all." she said with complete seriousness, though it was ruined when she stuck her tongue out and flashed the victory sign at her rival.

When Crona could finally see again, Moka and Kurumu were locked nose to nose, bolts of lightening shooting from there eyes. Sometimes he had trouble deciding if they were friends or not "Come on guys… don't fight…" he said, his voice barely audible above the sounds of arguing.

Meanwhile, Yukari was having her own set of problems…

"Wow, you're a cutie too!" One student asked, getting far closer to Yukari then she was comfortable with.

"How old are you? Is that costplay?" asked another.

"It's a witch girl!"

"Ah! Lord Crona help me! Lolicons are scary!" Yukari screamed as the Lolicons chased her around the yard.

As she ran passed Crona, Ragnarok (after having been asked nicely by Crona) delivered a clothesline to the perverts, before beating them senseless. Crona looked at Yukari "Are you alright, Yukari?" he asked

Yukari wanted to embrace her lord, and feel satisfied that he had helped her personally….

_"Her name was Maka… she was human…" _

Crona looked at Yukari with concern when she didn't respond "Yukari…?"

Yukari shook her head "I-I'm fine… my Lord." she said, bowing to him before running off. Crona looked at Ragnarok, who just shrugged. Yukari sighed as they turned back to there work. Why couldn't she get that conversation out of her head?

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Unseen by the rest of his staff, Gin appeared to be lounging against an old tree, reading over the paper. It was all a ruse though. When no one had been looking, one of the many boys that had sped past had pressed a piece of folded paper into Gin's hand. As he read it behind his paper, Gin grinned. His contact had just given him a time and place; and given how quickly this person had gotten back to him, they had to have something juicy.

From the corner of his eye, Gin glared at Crona. He didn't know what that boy was hiding, but Gin would find out soon enough.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

**In a Secret Location:**

"What!" a voice growled, looking over the newspaper that had been offered him "The newspaper club… "

Keito nodded from her prone position in front of her leader "Yes sir! They appear to be currently in the process of distributing their newspaper in front of the school gate." she sneered at the thought of such impudence "Naturally without **our **permission I might add."

Her leader narrowed his eyes before crumpling the paper and tossing it to the side. "So it's that gang **again!** Disregarding us and acting like saviors of Justice!" the man growled low in his throat before turning and walking towards the door, tossing the paper as he went "Those **scum!**"

Unnoticed and uncared for, the paper hit the ground, and immediately burst into flames.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Since the meeting with his contact wasn't for a few more hours, Gin decided to create the illusion of work by checking up on his minions. "How's it goin'? Are you giving out lots of copies?" Gin asked, flashing a prize winning smile at the ladies. He got a few hits from the crowd, but as usual the Moka and Kurumu gave him nothing. They went right on ignoring him while they opened a new box of papers, with Crona manning the desk.

Undeterred Gin kept talking "Looks like it's a pretty big hit, eh? We're gonna need to start charging for these" he said jokingly. While he may have acted nonchalant about it, Gin loved the paper. Being a journalist was one of his biggest passions, second only to his love of women.

Moka finally looked up and gave him one of her radiant smiles. "We've already passed out half of them! It makes me SO happy!" she said, before laughing like she'd heard the funniest joke in the world. To be honest, her mood was a little odd, given that no matter how well they were doing, there was no need to be **that **happy.

Crona looked over his shoulder at Gin "Um… Gin, maybe you'd like to help us out a little?" he asked, his question only just heard with Gin's sensitive hearing.

Gin thought about it for a moment… "Yeah right, don'cha know boring work like that is the job of the underlings!" he said laughed and shook his head. As if he'd ever do manuel labor!

Crona frowned, his bottom lip quivering "But… but… theres so many of them!" he said, looking out at the sea of students who still wanted papers "I don't know how to deal with something like this!"

Yukari couldn't help but giggle at the interaction between Lord Crona and the dog, and decided to add her two cents "It's no use Lord Crona! 'Cuz the only thing he's interested in hentai!" she said, laughing at Gin's expression "Just like a stray dog during the mating season!"

Gin's face twitched. How could this brat talk so candidly about such things! "Hmph! As if a flat chested girl like you was good for anything other than badmouthing people!" he said, pointing an accusing finger at Yukari's underdeveloped chest.

Yukari growled; how dare this hound bring that up! "I'm famous for my flatchestedness!" she defended, unwilling to let Gin have the satisfaction of knowing he'd hurt her with that comment.

Gin scrambled mentally, unwilling to lose an argument with someone who hadn't even hit puberty. Time to go for broke "Well then how about I rub them and rub them and make them big huh?" he said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

Yukari shuddered, the idea of Gin coming at her like that disgusted her to the core "Ew, that's sexual harassment!" she said, about to wave her magic wand and crush Gin's head with a pan… only it turns out she wouldn't have to.

"She's right Gin." A voice from behind the werewolf said, colder then he had heard it. A hand landed on his shoulder, the deceptively delicate fingers squeezing tight enough to make Gin wince. Turning slightly, he saw Moka looking at him with cold eyes "That was very a inappropriate thing to say to a girl, especially one as young as Yukari" tighter and tighter they squeezed, and Gin was finding it hard to breath the longer he stared into Moka's cold eyes. "I want you to apologize to her. Now" she said, her tone allowing no room for argument or debate. She blinked, and Gin found he could move again.

Gin gulped "Ye-yeah, of course…" he turned to the young witch "I'm sorry kid… I was just messin' around" he said, keeping an eye on Moka from the corner of his eye.

Yukari quickly accepted the apology, and the two of them watched Moka's face shift back to its former happiness like nothing had happened "Hurray! I'm so glad we got that cleared up!" she said, her bouncy persona back "Just don't ever let me hear you talking like that again, okay Gin?" she said, her eyes locking with his, making him flinch. That said, she bounced away to give out more papers.

The one thought on everyone's mind who had witnessed Moka's behavior was obvious: What the fuck was that?

However, before anyone could question what the hell had just happened, gasps started to rise from the crowd. Since Moka was still near the newspaper table, it had to be something else..

"Out of the way! Move, you're blocking our path. Make way!" a loud voice shouted from the rapidly dividing crowd. Crona and the gang could see that moving towards them was a group of students dressed differently then the rest. Instead of the regular school uniform, they were wearing nearly solid black, with a white armband around the left arm. When Gin saw the students, he paled, memories of a previous year flashing back to him.

"Oh crap," he muttered "Not the black suits again…"

And while his sentiments seemed strange to his fellow club members, they were being repeated all over.

"What are they doing here?" one boy asked another.

"It's them…" another said fearfully "The Youkai Academy Guardians… The Academy Public Safety Commission!"

It was then that this group, which was apparently the school safety commission, stopped in front of the newspaper stand.

Inside Crona's head, Ragnarok couldn't resist mouthing off _**"The Public Safety Commission? That's the least threatening name for an evil organization I've ever heard!" **_he cracked.

The apparent leader of the group, a older boy with long hair, bowed slightly as he ran his eyes over each of them (though they seemed to linger on Crona for a fraction of a second longer then the others). "Salutations! I am Kuyou, the manager of the public safety commission." he said, seeming pleasant enough. He was a head taller then most everyone else present, with light blond hair. His face was pinched somewhat, with a rather pointy nose. His eyes were narrowed and his pupils reminded Crona of a fox he had seen once as a child. "I'm pleased to make your acquaintance." Crona was really hoping that all of this was just pomp and circumstance, and that these guys weren't as evil as they looked.

Moka tilted her head to the side, forcing herself with great effort to stay focused "Hello Public Safety… so you're the ones maintaining the peace of the academy?" Moka had to fight to keep the sarcasm out of her voice "What can we do for you?" she asked.

Before anyone could say anything, Gin stepped in front of her, putting himself between Kuyou and the rest of them. The look in his eyes surprised Crona. Gin never looked that serious… but from the way his hand was shaking, Crona could tell he was scared too.

Kuyou just shook his head and chuckled and shook his head, as though he expected that kind of behavior "So, you're the newspaper club." he stated, picking up a copy of their paper and examining it "Well, your work is quite good!" he said, smiling as he looked over the articles.

This made the newspaper club, sans Gin, smile. It was nice to have their work complimented, and this Kuyou seemed like someone who was pretty high up on the food chain.

"However" Kuyou said, his grip on the paper tightening "Who gave you the permission to hand out a newspaper with these contents?" he asked, his voice turning cold as his eyes locked on them "We don't recall having inspected this!" he said, his voice rising in volume until everyone took a step back.

"Do you understand that it can cause a problem for us?" he demand, tossing their paper down "When a gang like you selfishly does whatever it wants and disturbs the peace and order of this academy?" he roared, lashing out and kicking over their stand.

The group stood shocked as their papers fluttered to the ground. Internally, Crona prepared for battle, going over a list of attacks to quickly take out Kuyou without hurting anyone around them. Right now there were so many people in the way… though most of them seemed to be safety commission officers, and Crona wasn't sure he'd mind hurting them.

"Do you understand?" Kuyou continued, having worked himself into a rage "We're the ones protecting the peace at this academy! If you are going to do anything inside these grounds, you need to get permission from us!" The other officers started to close in, rudely stepping on the papers that had fallen to the ground, and rubbing them into the dirt.

"We will continue to severely crackdown on any unapproved activity in the future!" Kuyou warned, eyes flicking over to the boy called 'Crona' as he felt a slight flux in the boy's aura.

Meanwhile, Kurumu finally got from behind Gin. She ignored the new rational part of her that told her to watch and wait, choosing instead to act on her emotions "Stop it! All we were doing was passing out newspapers!" she couldn't believe they were acting this way! After all the work she and her friends had put into it too!

Gin's eyes widened as Kurumu moved towards the black coated devils "It's no use, you'll only provoke them!" he tried to warn her, but she wouldn't listen. He certainly wasn't going to go after her though, not after what had happened last year.

Seeing the succubus coming at them, Keito smirked. With a flick of her head she spat a wad of… something at Kurumu, which latched onto her wrist.

Kurumu struggled to remove it, but found it was more resilient then she first thought "What is this? This stuff is like sticky thread!" she complained.

Keito just wiped her lips "I see the newspaper club is filled with lowlifes just like always." she commented with a grin, casting a look at the werewolf lurking behind the others. However, no matter where it **seemed** she was looking, she was really keeping an eye on the purple-haired boy. She had watched him murder another student, so she knew for a fact he was dangerous.

She cast another look at the blue haired girl still struggling with her web "You look like a stupid and indecent girl!" she mocked, enjoying getting a rise out of her prey "The newspaper club hasn't changed a bit from last year."

Kurumu decided to forget about the gunk on her arm and got right up in the giggling Keito's face "Why you… you…" she couldn't think up a word foul enough to express her displeasure (great, looks like that annoying rational voice was launching a sneak attack to try and get her to calm down)…

Crona tilted his head in confusion. What did that girl mean by last year?

Keito walked over to a pile of unspoiled newspapers and stomped on them as hard as she could, revealing in the look that flitted over the other girl's face. "Don't think that you can keep disturbing the peace at this academy!' she shouted, punctuating each word with another stomp. Even to the students watching from afar, it was cruel. However, none of them were going to speak up, lest they draw the SC wrath upon them.

Someone tapped Keito on the shoulder, making her turn her head. When she looked, she saw the pinked haired member of the club looking down on her (had she always been that tall?), a strange glint in her eyes. "What?" she snapped, having fun taunting the succubus.

Moka blinked slowly, before a kind smile spread over her face, the kind of smile that made men cry tears of joy, and let you know the world was okay "I was wondering… would you please stop doing that? You're being very impolite." she said sweetly.

Keito smirked, turning on the spot and adding an extra tear to the paper "You've got a lot of nerve addressing someone of my station so familiarly" she said, lashing out and slapping Moka across the face, though the vampire girl barely flinched. Keito was confident in making such a move, as she knew no one would be dumb enough to report her "And what are you gonna do to me if I don't, anyway, huh?" she asked mockingly.

Moka pouted, her jumbled thoughts swarming around her noggin like a swarm of bees. She didn't answer right away, which Keito took for submissive silence "That's what I thought." she said triumphantly. "Know your place you maggot bitch." she said, ready to go back to mocking the succubus as Moka bowed her head.

"Actually…" Moka said, her face now cast in shadows as her hair fell to obscure her eyes. Then, quick as a flash her arms whipped up, and her slim hands wrapped around Keito throat "I have a pretty good idea about what I'm going to do to you." she said, a creepy smile spreading over her face

Crona decided now was the time to act, as he simply couldn't hold himself back anymore. With Moka protecting Kurumu, he and Ragnarok could focus on the ringleader.

Ragnarok formed into a blade as fast as Crona thought it, and Crona's arm was already in mid swing before anyone realized what he was doing. He could probably go for a decapitation shot, but there were to many witnesses. He figured a chest shot should be enough of a warning to get the point across.

Only that didn't happen. Kuyou's hand lashed out like a snake and stopped Ragnarok dead. Crona's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. To do that, Kuyou would have had to match his wavelength output at the same time in order to cancel out his attack. Granted, Crona was using a fairly small amount of power, but the speed was still impressive.

But he couldn't give up! He punched forward with his other hand, a blade of blood jutting from him palm. But Kuyou moved his head to the side and avoided it with ease. Kuyou responded by aiming a punch at Crona's gut, but Crona's reflexes were honed enough to easily jump away from the danger.

Maybe he wouldn't be able to fight close range? With that in mind, Ragnarok liquified and retreated, and Crona raised his hands with intent to fire Bloody Needles right from his fingers.

"Enough!" Gin cried, getting everyone's attention. Crona had never seen the older boy look so angry, or scared before.

With Moka and Keito, Moka turned to look at Gin. That gave Keito a chance to strike while Moka wasn't looking. With a kick to the stomach, she freed herself from the vampire and ran back behind Kuyou. She glared at Moka, whose eyes followed her every move. Keito gingerly placed a hand to her sore throat; no doubt the bitch would leave a bruise. And what was with her aura? It had clung to her, sapping her strength, and made her far more afraid then she normally would be…

Moka pouted when Keito ran away. With her hands on Keito's throat, she had been able to feel her pulse. Crona's blood was always so difficult to acquire and it had been so long since she'd had any normal blood. It would have been nice to have had some…

Kuyou's lips twitched when he looked at Gin. Always a coward. And he had been looking forward to fighting Crona to. Ah well, another time perhaps. "You should learn to control you people better, Gin. Assuming of course that they even are **your** people." he smirked. With that, he turned and began to walk away "Next time, we won't let you off so easily…"

"Keito" he said when they were far enough away, making the girl snap to attention. She was busy looking back at that vampire girl… Moka he believed her name was. "You keep the newspaper club under surveillance and see how they react….and" he turned to look her in the eye "You had better shape up. If you can't overpower a single weak mongrel, then maybe I should consider finding your replacement…" he trailed off, letting the threat hang in the air.

"Yes sir." Keito said, more determined now then ever. She would make them pay, all of them. That whiny succubus, that Crona boy that dared attack their leader, and that pink haired bitch of a vampire! Keito suddenly shivered as she thought of Moka's eyes boring into her.

Maybe… maybe she'd save Moka for last.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Meanwhile, back with Crona and the gang, the mood was rather somber as the teens gathered up the remains of their newspaper.

"Kurumu, are you ok?" Crona asked concerned as he swept up the shredded paper the Safety Commission had left behind. Ragnarok had gone back inside as soon as the action was over and it was time to clean up. "That stuff looks sticky…" Crona commented, referring to the white gunk still stuck to Kurumu's arm.

Kurumu nodded "Yeah, some kind of thread… its hard to get off" she said, tugging at a strand of it.

Meanwhile, Yukari sniffled over one of the boxes of papers. It was still half way full… "How horrible. What was that? Those guys just came out of nowhere…" she said quietly,

"Those guys are the Public Safety Committee" Gin said, getting there attention. He had a far off look in his eyes, like wasn't really there with them as he spoke "To put it simply, they're like a more aggressive version of the student police." he grimaced, old memories coming back to haunt him. "In order to protect the peace of this Academy, a militant group was established in order to control evil by force. They're the academy guardians, the public safety commission. They were organized by the students, and are often called the Academy Police!"

Crona gaped. "How can those guys be the Academy Police?" he demanded "They acted like… like…"

_**"Complete dicks?" **_Ragnarok supplied helpfully.

Crona nodded, but didn't comment, a testament to his state of ire "Speaking of which, today is the first time I've even seen those guys!" If they were the Academy Police, how come he had never seen them upholding justice? Why weren't they stopping the obvious evil that infested this school? Why was he doing their job?

Gin sighed and scratched his head, for once finding himself agreeing with Crona "Yeah… basically it's because those guys barely ever do anything." he muttered, watching as Crona's eyes hardened. The boy may hide it well, but there was definitely something beneath the surface. But there would be time for that later. "They've become corrupt. Today they're just a yakuza gang, making their force do the talking while they collect money and tributes." he explained "They said that if we were going to hand out the paper we have to get their permission, right? That means they want us to pay them off." By now, everyone was looking seriously displeased, even the normally bubbly Moka was focused.

"I can't believe they're getting away with something so messed up!" Moka growled, her fists clenching. She imagined Keito, with her smug look of superiority, the assurance that nothing would happen to her, the thick juicy vein pumping in her neck….

However, no matter what the group felt, they were far more surprised by what Gin had to say next "Nothin' we can do now, we've just gotta give in." he said with a long suffering sigh. "We've gotta burn all the newspapers to show them that we're not against them, that's the only way to appeal to them." he finished, turning away so he didn't have to see the looks he knew would show up on their faces.

Kurumu was the first to explode "WHAAT! Burn all our newspapers! But there's a bunch of them we've already handed out." Kurumu screamed, unable to believe what the mangy dog was saying. Yukari was right behind her, demanding to know how Gin could just allow all their work to go to waste.

Gin looked over his shoulder with a look that was a mix between depression and acceptance "I don't care, just burn them all!" he said, raising his voice. Why didn't they understand? Why did everyone in the newspaper club have to think they could take on the world? "Nothing's gonna come from picking a fight with those guys. It's best if you don't get involved in old fights." No matter what he thought of them, he didn't want them to get hurt. He wouldn't let what happened then happen now.

Gin turned and walked away. Walked away from the gaping faces and accusatory looks. Away from the rest of the disheartened club members that may never trust him again, if they ever had in the first place. He walked away from all of it, and never looked back. He couldn't. He had an appointment to get to.

And from the shadows, as was so often the case, a figure grinned.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

"What a loser!" Kurumu yelled, slamming her fist down on the table. "Gin isn't even thinking like a man!" she ranted "And why is he the one who leaves first again!"

The group had moved away from the Academy gates to the picnic tables around the back of the school. They were going to discuss what to do next, but right now Kurumu really wanted to get this anger out of her system. She still remember that Keito girl that had made a fool of her, and called her indecent. She hadn't been able to believe that Gin of all people would say they should give up.

She looked around the table, observing each of her fellow club members. Crona looked fairly in control, but he was rubbing his arm in a way that Kurumu had come to learn meant that he was more nervous then usual. Not surprising, Kurumu knew her beloved didn't take sudden change well, though he adapted the best he could.

Yukari's eyes were red from tears she refused to shed. Part of Kurumu was heartbroken that such a little girl would feel the need to keep her emotions in check. The rest of her was thankful, because who knew what a crying Yukari could do to morale.

Moka was quiet, but not silent. Ever since she'd sat down she'd been muttering to herself, and from what little Kurumu could make out, it wasn't nice. Frankly, Moka just got weirder and weirder the longer Kurumu knew her. The way she bounced from sweet and sunny to dark and scary, was more then a little unsettling.

Kurumu shook her head, bringing herself out of her reflections "We don't have to burn them like Gin says!" she declared, to the surprise of all.

Moka blinked, her muttering stopping. She tilted her head in confusion "But wait Kurumu, Gin probably has his own good reason for this… " Gin may be a pervert, lazy, unfocused, a little mean, tardy, and a whole host of other things, but he at least seemed care about the Club as a whole. So for him to have said what he did, must mean he had a-

"No way!" Kurumu interrupted Moka's train of thought "That guy's head is just overloaded with perverted thoughts." she said, ignoring her new rational side that was making snide remarks about **her** perverted thoughts.

Moka saw that the succubus was working herself up into a frenzy "Kurumu! Please calm down a little and-"

"No I will not!" Kurumu said, blocking out the voice in her head that was telling her the same thing. How dare the other voice agree with Moka! "This is something that has to be dealt with! If you don't want to help, that's fine" she suddenly turned and glomped Crona, startling the boy and burying his head in his head in her chest(much to Ragnarok's combined glee and jealousy). "Let's go Crona! I know you'll help me!"

Yukari couldn't help it. It had been a bad day, and seeing Kurumu lose her cool and revert to her default fangirl mode was to hilarious not to comment on. "That girl hit the bulls eye when she said you were stupid and now all the bloods going to your head, hehehee" she said before dissolving into a fit of giggles at the look on the other girl's face. At least until Kurumu bonked her on the head.

"Come on Crona. Even if it's just us, let's do our best to hand out the newspaper, ok!" she said, a fire in her eyes that threatened all that would oppose it. When no one said anything (they were all to afraid to), the angry the succubus marched off in a huff, dragging the stunned Crona behind her.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Gin looked both ways as he approached the door at a leisurely stroll, making sure not to attract attention to himself. You never knew who could be watching.

Reaching the door, he knocked quickly. The door opened, to reveal a young man with a mess of red hair and a pale complexion "May I help you?" he asked, blinking slowly, and looking for all the world as though he'd just been woken from a nap.

All a ruse, of course. Gin knew for a fact that this guy never slept. Ever. "Yeah, I'm looking to rent some video equipment for the school newspaper. I'm told I have to fill out a form?" he asked, giving his usual smile.

The teen huffed "Yeah, hold on… it's in here somewhere…" he opened the door and allowed Gin inside, before shutting the door behind them. Once it was shut, the teen locked the door, before slamming a paper seal on the door that would make any eavesdropper hear nothing more then harmless chitchat. "Do you have my payment?" he asked, his golden eyes locking on Gin. In the dark of AV room, the yellow eyes looked like miniature suns.

Gin reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a brown paper bag and handed it over "Right here Shu". Like always, Shu looked over every inch of the bag, checking for bugs or booby-traps. Gin had once commented that it seemed a little paranoid to check everything one came into contact with, every single time, but Shu was adamant. Apparently he'd had an uncle who lived out in the desert somewhere who'd gotten himself sealed into a teapot, and was desperate to avoid having something similar happen to him. And once he'd practically taken over the mole network that ran through the entire school, his paranoia had only increased.

Once he was sure Shu was done, Gin couldn't contain his curiosity "So tell me Shu, what've you got for me? For what I'm paying you, it'd better be something juicy." Gin said, looking over Shu's monitoring equipment. It all looked so shiny and new; a definite upgrade from last year.

Shu looked Gin right in the eye "I've got nothing." he said.

Gin's eye twitched "WHAT?" he roared "How can **you **have nothing? You always deliver! What the hell happened-" Gin was cut when Shu raised his hand for silence.

"You don't get it, do you?" Shu said, shaking his head at his 'client's' stupidity. "The fact that I got nothing **is **something." he stated. Seeing Gin's perplexed look, Shu sighed, throwing the packet of information he'd gathered onto a table.

"Look, this Crona kid's records are sealed tight. And I mean **tight**. Health records, past academic performances, monster type, even **his last name**! Is sealed!" he said, throwing his hands in the air.

Gin blinked. Now that he thought about it, he could never remember Crona stating his last name. But surely it was written down somewhere?

Sensing where his thoughts were, Shu shook his head "I've checked all the papers he's turned in. They're all signed 'Crona' nothing more." despite apparently having failed to turn up anything, Shu's mood hadn't diminished. Which meant he probably had something else up his sleeves.

"However, even though only the headmaster himself can view the records, there are other factors that may help you." he said, starting to pace "You may have noticed my new equipment, yes?" he asked, gesturing to the new monitors, computers, and the like. "Do you know how much some of these cost? Trust me, whatever you're thinking, its not enough. And I'm not the only one, either. Faculty all over the school have been getting new, better, more expensive stuff. Heck, the Academy was finally able to buy some decent security cameras! And do you know why?" Shu asked rhetorically, pulling out a file from a hidden cabinet in the dark room. "Because just before the start of the semester, someone dropped a fortune into the school's lap." he dropped the file in front of Gin, beckoning him to read it.

Gin opened the file, and raised an eyebrow. It was a transaction form, only a lot of the pertinent information was blacked out. He looked to Shu for an explanation. Shu shrugged "That was the best I could get my hands on. The best lead I got out of it though was who it was from. The place itself isn't named; however I do know that it came from…" he pointed at the small type (one of the few that hadn't been blacked out). Gin's eyes widened, opening up the file on Crona. There it was. His last known residence was from the same place!

"What does it mean, though?" he wondered out loud. Did this mean that Crona was the one who dropped a huge wad of cash on the school? No, Gin's gut told him that wasn't the case.

But Gin's gut took a backseat as something Shu said popped back into his head "Did you say… security cameras?" he asked, daring to hope.

Shu blinked "Yeah, the school put them all over the place. Only high ranking students are allowed to see them though" he smirked "Unless you happen to know the right people, which I do."

Gin grinned "Show me."

Shu raised an eyebrow "What exactly do you think you'll find watching a security tape? For one thing, you don't even know what you're looking for; do you expect to just dredge through all the tapes since school started?"

Gin looked Shu dead in the eye. This was his lead was leading somewhere, and he wasn't going to give it up! "If that's what it takes." he said.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

"Wait, Kurumu!" Crona called, trying to get the succubus to slow down "Let's go back to everyone else!" Sadly, he was having no such luck. Kurumu was still determinedly marching (to where, he didn't know), intent to distribute the newspapers she clung to. "Can't we talk about this?" he asked hopefully.

"No." Kurumu said, her voice like steel.

Crona turned inward to Ragnarok, hopping for some help. The little blood demon just shrugged his shoulders _"She's your problem kid. I'm just here for her looks." _he said bluntly, before kicking Crona out.

Suddenly Kurumu stopped, and Crona could just barely see her eyes watering. "These newspapers…" she said, looking down into the box "They're like a treasure to me. I made these with you and Moka and everyone…" she subconsciously clenched the box tighter "It's the first thing I've ever made by cooperating with other people…" she said, her voice nearly a whisper.

Suddenly, her aura started to flare as her anger began to rise "And to have it trampled underfoot for no good reason, I can't back down like this!" she shouted "I can never forgive those Public Safety People!" she wasn't mad at Crona, but she couldn't help but yell. She was SO mad, and she needed some way to express it. She could hear her other self trying to talk her down, to get her to push down these feelings, but she just couldn't. She was an emotional person by nature, and it wasn't easy for her to just shut those feelings off.

Behind her, Crona rubbed his arm. He could understand where Kurumu was coming from. In a way, he felt the same. This was the first non-killing based activity he'd ever been productive in (well, except for poem writing, but that was for fun). And Kurumu was right, it wasn't fair. Maybe that was why he was still here, and hadn't gone back to the others yet…? Because even though he had no idea how to deal with this situation, he still felt like he should stick by her…

Both of their introspective thoughts were interrupted however, when a flash of white struck the box Kurumu was carrying. Kurumu couldn't react fast enough before the box was jerked from her hands.

"Heh… don't make me laugh. You really are too stupid!" a familiar voice called out. Looking up, Crona and Kurumu saw Keito standing on a rope made of the white goo strung between two branches. Beneath her, three other girls stood waiting, all looking like they would attack at any moment.

Keito glared down at them, projecting an air of confidence "It appears you have no interest in being a good student and obeying us…" she cast a glance down into the box of newspapers and smirked "As I thought, I should crush you once and for all right here!"

However, no matter how confident she appeared, Ketio was actually a little nervous. She had planned to attack the succubus when the pink haired girl with the scary grip wasn't around, but somehow she didn't think this was better. She knew for a fact that this Crona boy was a murderer, as well as a powerful monster.

But she couldn't help it! These insects had defied Kuyou, attacked him even! They had mocked the Safety Commission in the past and were now doing it again! Worst of all, her own pride had been injured! Granted, not exactly by these two, but she figured hurting the Kurumu girl would be a way to hurt Moka. There were so many reasons for them to die, it was hard to pick just one. That said, she'd brought some of her girls along, just in case.

Kurumu actually growled as Keito lowered herself to ground level "Give us back our newspapers!" she demanded.

Crona subtly flexed his muscles, getting ready for the fight that was likely to follow. Still, he couldn't help but wonder why the Safety Commission seemed to hate them so much (inside, Ragnarok groaned. He hated when Crona tried diplomacy). Before the two girls could go at each other's throat, Crona stepped between them. Instantly, all eyes were on him.

"Why are you treating us as your enemies? We didn't do anything…" he said, raising his aura slowly, trying to not attract attention.

Keito shook her head "It's too late to say that now…. or perhaps you don't know?" she started, her eyes narrowing in an ugly way. "We've been looking at the Newspaper Club for a long time now..." she pointed an accusing finger at them "As a group threatening the Public Safety Commission." she said, receiving shocked looks from Crona and Kurumu. Seeing she had their attention, Keito launched into an expository villainous monologue "The Newspaper Club last year was full of a bunch of fools who had delusions that they could change the Academy themselves! And so for whatever reason, they used their published articles as a means to criticize us. That's why we purged the members of the club and drove it to the brink of folding!"

Crona's eyes narrowed at the implications. This would explain why Gin hadn't wanted them to get involved. He'd known what kind of people these were.

"This Academy is a hodgepodge of monsters and it only remains safe because it is under the control of the Public Safety Commission! The Newspaper Club, which doesn't even understand that and yet opposes us, deserves to be destroyed!" Keito continued to rant.

Sadly, that last bit had gotten one little demon's attention. With a burst of blood, Ragnarok manifested himself in his muscular form, arms crossed and eyes narrowed _**"Alright, I've had just about enough of this little bullshit fest of yours".**_ He said, pointing an accusing finger at Keito.

The sudden appearance of Ragnarok, combined with what he had to say, stunned everyone into silence. Which was exactly what Ragnarok wanted, because right now he had something he wanted to get off his chest…

_**"You're telling me you idiots protect the Academy? From what? Decency? Morality? Intelligence?" **_he demanded _**"It seems like every single day another asshole tries to get into a pissing contest with me, goes monster, which I think is against the rules but who the hell really knows around here, and I have to kick his ass. On my first day some dick called Saizou tried to molest my friend, and I laid the smack down on him, not the Safety Commission. He was back in class the next day. Da Fuck?" **_Ragnarok ranted, only building up steam. It was a good thing they were in a rather secluded part of the school, or he surely would have attracted attention. Though if he kept yelling, that might happen anyway.

_**"One of the students planned to enslave the entire male student body. Where were you guys? The Swim Team was openly murdering people, and I didn't see any of your high horses there either. Peeping Tom? I caught him. Missing students? I found them, and rescued them. Attempted murder? Foiled. Repeatedly."**_ Ragnarok continued, listing off his various accomplishments, enjoying the red face Keito was working on.

_**"Face it bitch, the school's a cesspool, and everyone knows it. The student officials are all either corrupt or answer to someone who is. The teachers are either blind to everything, in on it, or are the biggest group of morons on the planet. Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if the headmaster keeps things like this just to see how long it takes us all to kill each other. But you know what I've never seen? What I've never even heard of?" **_Ragnarok asked, leaning down to glare at Keito, who instinctively stepped back _**"It's someone from the Safety Commission being the least bit helpful in any situation that doesn't directly benefit them and theirs. You're more corrupt then anyone else I've met, and you don't even have the decency to be open about it. If anyone deserves to be destroyed, it's you."**_ Ragnarok finished by flipping Keito the bird, and blowing a raspberry.

Keito shuddered with fury. Her eyes twitched. She had never been more full of hate in her entire life. She didn't care who this little prick thought he was, but she was going to make him suffer! Starting with these stupid newspapers! Turning, Keito hurled the box of papers towards the furnace, open and waiting to burn.

Kurumu watched as Keito turned. Ragnarok's speech had been so inspiring (even when he'd mentioned her transgression), that she felt her love for him grow to new heights. And it seemed to awaken something deep inside her, that purred with excitement. But seeing her precious newspapers fly towards the fire brought her back down to reality. She couldn't watch those papers burn! She just couldn't.

Keito and Crona both felt a burst of air blow past them, before a light thunk sound was heard. Blinking, everyone was surprised to see Kurumu directly in front of the furnace, wings spread and box in hand. She smirked "Sorry, these are property of the Newspaper Club. And we don't take kindly to vandals trying to destroy our property." she flapped her winds to stand beside Crona, who was looking at her with surprise.

Kurumu blinked and found herself with an arm full of newspapers. A second later her brain caught up with what had happened; how she had moved faster then she would have thought possible to save them. How had she done that?

_"Oh, that?"_ her inner voice commented nonchalantly _"Well, I could tell it meant a lot to you, so decided to help you out. You clearly weren't in the mood for listening, so I decided to take action." _

Kurumu's eyes winded 'You can do that?' she thought, a little weirded out.

Somehow she could tell the voice was grinning at her _"Girl, you have no idea what I'm capable of." _

Keito growled; how dare these bugs annoy her at every turn! Turning to her girls she shouted "You three, deal with the whore, I'll take care of this bastard." her aura started to spike "I'll show you what happens when you try and fight us."

Crona sighed internally. Finally, something he knew how to deal with…it seemed like it always came to this, he really wasn't all that surprised by it anymore. Rolling his shoulders, he looked Kurumu right in the eye "Kurumu, I want you to get out of here. Get somewhere safe." he said, his voice like steel.

Kurumu wanted to object, but the other voice spoke up _"Do what he says" _the blunette blinked, but flapped her wings obligingly.

She hadn't flapped more then two times before she felt a surge of auras behind her. Turning, she saw that the three girls Keito had brought with her were crouching. As one, they leaped into the air, the back of their shirts bursting as wings unfurled. The girl on the left had the buzzing wings of a dragonfly, the one on the right had fly wings, and the one in the center had butterfly wings. And they were all coming for her.

Thinking quickly, she ducked into the forest, planning to lose them in the thick foliage. This also had the effect of leaving Crona alone with Keito.

The girl made the first move, shooting a string of the sticky substance from her hand to wrap around Crona's arm. She smirked "I've got you now! I'll put an end to this right here!" she yanked as hard as she could. Nothing. She tried again. Still nothing.

Crona raised his other hand "Bloody Slicer" he said simply, releasing a scythe of blood that raced towards Keito. But the girl hadn't gotten where she was by being weak and helpless. She bent her back at nearly a nighty degree and watched as the blade passed harmlessly over her. It did, however, go through her own web, freeing Crona's arm.

Crona took the chance to charge her, blood wrapping around his fists to form a pair of spiked gauntlets. Just as he was about to bury one into her, something shot from under her shirt and smacked him across the face, sending him flying back.

_**"What the hell was that?"**_ Ragnarok asked as Crona shook the birds from his vision.

"Oh, didn't you know?" Keito asked as she straightened up "That Public Safety Commission is allowed to use supernatural powers to protect the safety of the Academy." she explained, as the long spindly appendage that was coming from her chest was joined by several others.

Ragnarok just rolled his eyes _**"Oh yeah, 'cause that's really stopped all the other students from using their powers…" **_

Keito narrowed her eyes. Even now, he continued to insult her. Oh, she was going to enjoy dissolving his insides. Crona watched as the limbs beneath her shirt stretched out, revealing themselves to be spider legs. Keito opened her mouth, which reshaped itself to bare her new fangs, and spat a wad of webbing at Crona, lassoing him and binding his arms to his sides "Try as you might, with my powers released you'll never break these threads! she roared, her voice deepening as her body shifted into full spider mode.

_**"Okay, that just creepy."**_ Ragnarok said, his voice going deadpan in the sight of giant spider.

"I… I really don't know how I should deal this." Crona said, his eyes wide. For once, Ragnarok was in agreement. Which meant that they'd just have to go with option one: Kill it, kill it now, and if at all possible, painfully.

Keito was a little annoyed that despite her clearly imposing appearance, she wasn't invoking the level of fear she desired from her soon to be victim. Time to make him hurt. Spinning on her legs, Keito used her new strength to lift Crona off the ground and hurl him into a nearby tree.

Crona grunted in pain, but quickly pushed off from the tree towards Keito. Ragnarok burst from his back, tearing through the webs, and tried to smash Keito like the bug she resembled. Ketio dodged, and Ragnarok turned into a sword. Crona gave the sword a swing, and sent a bolt of sound energy chasing after Keito. The spider jumped, and watched the ground behind her get pulverized. Her eyes narrowed, this might not be as easy as she had hoped.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Kurumu barrel rolled out of the way just as the dragonfly girl barreled past her, slamming into a tree. Behind her, the fly girl spit a gob of acid which flew just over her head. These three girls were tenacious! And she was having a difficult time flying as well as she could with a heavy box in her arms.

Which may explain why the Butterfly girl was able to get the drop on her without her being able to dodge. The girl kicked her in the back, sending Kurumu spiraling into a tree, before crash landing in a deserted clearing. She managed to get back to her feet, but her body was feeling mighty sore after that.

The three bug girls landed lightly on the ground, their insect eyes appearing vacant and disconcerting. "You have angered our mistress" they said as one, further creeping the succubus out "We will punish you for your crimes…"

Kurumu flared her wings "Just who are you guys" she said, trying to sound tough and keep the fear from her voice "And why would you worked for a bitch like Keito!"

"You will not insult our mistress!" they cried as one. Then they smiled, an odd, out of place smile. "We used to be like you…" they said, their eyes staring into space, as though they could see through time itself "Before the mistress came…"

"I used to run the Tea Ceremonies Club" the girl with Dragonfly wings said.

"I was in charge of the Candy Making Club" the girl with butterfly wings continued.

"I ran the Yaoi Manga fanclub" the one with fly wings finished.

"We defied the Safety Commission… but Mistress Keito showed us the error of our ways." they said, their voices once again in unison. Kurumu placed a hand over her mouth as she realized just what these girls were saying.

"Maybe we should bring her back to mistress…" the fly girl said, looking at her 'sisters' "Then mistress could make her like us!"

"Oh hell no!" Kurumu said, louder then she intended. It snapped the three bug girls out of their little hive-mind planning session, and refocused their attention on her. Now, knowing what they intended to do to her, Kurumu felt the dagger of fear digging into her heart.

_"Hey, calm down! What are you so afraid of?" _the other voice asked, calm as could be.

Kurumu responded with something akin to: Three psycho girls who want to turn me into a bug slave? Only louder, and with more expletives.

The voice sighed _"Look, this won't be nearly as hard as you're making it out to be. I'll help you." _it said, and Kurumu felt as though the voice was right behind her eyeballs.

Kurumu blinked, the three bug girls had started their charge, but they seemed to be moving in slow motion. How would the voice help her?

_"By working with you. The two of us. Together."_ it explained _"Let me take over your fear. Then, we can focus on taking down the girls. Remember earlier, with the box? We can beat these three easily."_ the voice said, clearly and methodically explaining its position. Kurumu had to admit, the voice was making a good point.

Seeing that the girls were halfway to her, she decided that this would be for the best, and agreed. Kurumu felt the voice give a slight victory dance, before it made its move. She felt her fear drain away, replaced with an an icy calm. The world started to move normally again, but by then she was more then ready.

The three spread out and tried to flank her, the fly coming from her front, the butterfly and dragonfly coming from her left and right respectively. The fly hocked a wad of acid at her, but Kurumu leapt up and gave a flap of her wings and the caustic liquid flew harmlessly under her.

While in mid air, she spun at high speed, her tail lashing out and catching the faster dragonfly girl square in the face and sending her reeling back. As she landed in a crouch facing the butterfly girl, she lashed out with her nails, slicing the slow girls knees deeply. The girl cried out in pain and crashed to the ground, effectively taking her out of the fight.

Standing, she saw the Dragonfly was back up and ready to charge, and the fly was now much closer. To close, in fact. As Kurumu leaned out of the way of the next shot and grabbed the girl by her blouse and tossed her at the Dragonfly.

But the Dragonfly apparently wasn't as stupid as Kurumu took her for, because she easily dodged and kept moving, even as the Fly made contact with the tree behind her.

Kurumu leapt backwards into the air, and the Dragonfly followed, throwing a series of punches. The succubus took one to the shoulder and one to the stomach, the force of which sent her spinning. Thankfully, the other voice managed to keep her cool under the assault, and she was ready when the bug came at her again.

She moved her head just out of the way of a punch aimed for her nose, and shrunk the claws on her hands as she did so. She grabbed the arm before the Dragon could pull back, and caught the other punch with her other hand. Before the Dragon could beat her to it, Kurumu headbutted her with all her strength. While the Dragon struggled not to lose altitude, Kurumu held her tight, then spun around to build speed, before tossing the Dragonfly back down towards the ground.

The effect was devastating, the girl hit the ground hard, and gasped for breath. Then, to make sure she stayed down, Kurumu landed with both her feet planted in the girls stomach, the pain knocking the girl out cold.

Stepping off the girl, she surveyed her work. The Butterfly was in to much pain to stand, let alone fly. The Dragonfly was unconscious. And the Fly… Kurumu saw the Fly moan and trying to stand, using the tree for support. Kurumu rolled her eyes, and focused her power on the girls mind. She wasn't good enough at this yet to take on crowds, but for a single individual, she'd be fine. A moment later, the Fly girl saw vines burst from the ground and slam her face into the tree. The illusion was powerful enough to knock her out instantly.

Kurumu sighed, that wasn't as bad as she had thought. She turned towards where she felt Crona's spiritual pressure. She hoped his fight would finish soon.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Keito spat gobs of web from her mouth like turret gun fire, each blob impacting the ground with enough force to crack the ground. But she wasn't getting any hits, all because that bastard had sprouted wings and was gliding across the ground faster then she could shoot. To make matters worse, he was keeping her constantly moving with a stream of hard to see needles. Three of her legs were already heavily peppered by those things, and she was getting tired. Maybe it was time to try a different tactic.

Crona watched Keito land sloppily on the ground, panting hard. Crona was surprised to see he was breathing harder then normal too… seems like a lack of skilled opponents had made him a little softer around the edges. Their battle had brought them back around to the back of the school, the furnace not far from their position.

"Why… why do you defy us?" Keito's ragged voice called out, shaking him from his thoughts "We… are justice! We are order!" she screamed, her eyes locking with his.

Crona shook his head "No. You say you're justice, but you're really just selfish. You pretend to be good, when all you do is hurt people. That's the worst type of evil of all." he said evenly, his voice harder then any steel.

Keito laughed; a harsh sound like glass on a chalkboard. "And who are **you **to judge us?" she asked, smirking "You… a murderer?" she finished with triumph.

Crona froze, color draining from his face. How? How could they know? He'd been so careful to cover his tracks, to leave no trace… Maybe she was bluffing, yeah that had to be it…

Keito must have known what he was thinking "You really did a number on that Nagare, didn't you" she gave a light laugh "I don't think even we would have done that much…"

Crona's eyes widened with fright again, before narrowing to slits. So they did know. They had seen. That wasn't good; he couldn't allow anyone to interfere with his divine mission. He had to carry it out in secret, and this could blow the whole thing! Crona's heart ached, this meant he would have to… deal with the entire safety commission, because he couldn't take the chance that they might talk.

Crona shook his head, he had to do it! For Maka. If he ever wanted to prove he should be allowed to see her again, he would have to prove his commitment to justice! Maka would give him strength. She would want him to do this!

Crona held out his hand, calling forth a large quantity of his power. Black blood pooled in his hand, stretching and lengthening, forming a pole-arm. Then, at the tip, Ragnarok's mouth formed, his tongue sticking out and sharpening, forming the tip of the spear. Finally, the whole thing glowed with power, and gave off a humming noise similar to that of a swarm of bees.

"Screech Eta" Crona said, leveling the spear at Keito.

Keito though, looked unimpressed. Spinning in place, she used her long spider legs to kick up a cloud of dust to obscure her opponent's vision, then fired several web wads through the smoke. But Crona managed to side step each one, and stabbed forward with his staff. The staff stretched like taffy, but Keito jumped at the last second. The blade of the Screech Eka struck the side of the furnace, instantly blasting that portion to pieces.

Keito tried to take advantage of this and fired a long strand at the black blooded assassin. But the spear resumed its normal shape too quickly. Crona spun the spear in front of him, forming a rudimentary barrier. The web caught hold of the spear and was twisted around and around, pulling Keito forward.

Keito panicked and struggled but it was no use. By the time she managed to bite through her own webs, she was far too close to Crona. She used what strength she had left to jump back, just as Crona leveled the staff at her abdomen.

"Goodbye" was all he said as the staff grew and the spearhead split her chest.

Keito released a scream of agony as her insides were reduced to jelly as the sonic power of Ragnarok went to work on her. Not only that, but the force of the blow was enough to send her flying back… right into the furnace. The hot flames burned away at her outside while Ragnarok destroyed her insides. Death, was a sweet release. At least until Ragnarok ate her soul.

Crona withdrew the spear and took the blood back into his body. Though he'd won the battle, he knew the war was not over. These Safety Commissioners were a threat to him and his mission. A threat that would have to be destroyed as quickly as possible.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Kurumu looked down at the three girls. She had felt Keito's aura disappear completely, which she could only assume meant that Crona had taken care of her. But a moment after it had vanished, the three girls had screamed bloody murder, before going silent as the grave. Kurumu had looked each of them over, but all she got were vacant looks. Focusing, she used her natural talent for mind magic (something all her people were capable of), and tried to look into their minds. When they offered no resistance, she pressed further, and found to her surprise nothing at all. The three girls had nothing but the most basic brain waves left. They were essentially vegetables.

Kurumu bit her lip in thought, what was she supposed to do? She hadn't expected this! It seemed that with Keito's defeat the girls had gone comatose. What should she do?

_"If I might offer a suggestion…"_ her inner voice said quietly. Kurumu blinked, then turned her attention inward so she could listen.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

"What?" Kuyou said, his voice like ice despite the heat he was giving off. "Did you just say that Keito has been defeated?" he asked, making sure he'd heard right. But somehow he knew that wasn't the right message.

The messenger gulped "No sir… second in command Lady Keito was… killed sir. By the student known as Crona." he said, trying his best not to shake in fear.

Kuyou growled, a sound that echoed through the room. He turned to to the other members of the Safety Commission, who all stood ready and waiting for his command. "Such an act…" he began, before stopping to calm himself. When he opened his eyes again, he was back in control "Such an act is a declaration of war!" he said, raising his voice as he overlooked the Commission. "And if it is a war the Newspaper Club wants…" he smirked, remembering last year "Then it is a war they shall have!" he said, earning a cheer and salutes from the rest of the Commission.

After he had dismissed them, Kuyou went back to his desk to look over the files he had on the boy Crona, which was sadly lacking. Suddenly his head snapped up, sensing a strange presence. "Who's there!"

A voice in the darkness chuckled "A rousing speech… but do you really think annihilating such a small club will earn you any respect from the rest of the school?" the voice asked.

Kuyou frowned, who was this stranger to question him? "They have murdered one of our own. Such an act cannot go unpunished!"

The voice in the dark paused, and Kuyou felt like it was smirking at him "What if I told you something about one of the members… something that would allow you to eliminate them, and the Newspaper Club, all while being above reproach?" the voice asked.

Kuyou stood up, and began to pace around his office, searching for the voice "I'm listening" he said.

The voice now practically oozed triumph "What if I told you… that the boy, Crona… is actually a Kishin?"

Kuyou's eyes went wide. Such a thing sounded preposterous… and yet…

"Tell me more."

**End Chapter 8  
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_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

****OMAKE: The Greatest Enemy of All... **  
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Kuyou grinned at Gin, happy he could still make the werewolf squirm after all this time****.**** Gin did not look nearly as happy "Why are you here, Kuyou?" he demanded, surprising the other club members with his seriousness. "Come to extort from us, have you?" he asked.

Kuyou laughed, the fool was as predictable as he ever was "Please, old friend." he started, enjoying the rage that boiled up in Gin from being called a friend of his "nothing so mundane." he reached over and picked up the newspaper, flipping through it "This is some very good work..." he commented, getting smiles from the other club members "However..." he stated, making everyone straighten up, wondering if he was going to attack with his men. "I'm afraid to inform you..." oh when he was through with them, they would wish he had done that instead... he cleared his throat for dramatic effect.

"I'm afraid to inform you that you have not filled out the proper paperwork!" he shouted dramatically. Everyone but Gin blinked, confused. Gin, however, paled dramatically. It couldn't be...

"You don't mean..." he whispered, horrified.

Kuyou smirked "Yes..." he snapped his fingers "In order to pass out your newspaper you'll need to sign..." three of his men came forward, lugging stacks of papers the size of filing cabinets. They set the three stacks on the table, which creaked ominously under the weight "All of these forms here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, NOT HERE, or there, but instead here, here, and... here." Kuyou said, pointing out the appropriate spots, before grinning again "These forms must be filled out by the end of the day... in triplicate!" and with that, he turned and left, assured in his victory. Behind him, the table gave way, spilling the forms on the ground. The newspaper team scrambled to collect the forms, while Gin wept softly (one of the stacks had landed on his foot and broken his toe).

Who needed violence when you have the most deadly weapon of all: Bureaucracy! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!******  
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******_-Dealing With Youkai_****** _**Academy-Author's Notes.  
><strong>_

Well, another chapter come and gone. I even managed to fit in a omake, albeit a rather thrown together one. So, what did you think of this chapter? Keito didn't go down quite so easily, did she? And yes, I know the three girls that Kurumu fought only appeared in the anime, but I wanted their to be someone for her to fight, and they were the best candidates. We got to see more of Yukari's conversation with Crona, and Moka's madness peaks through a little more. Gin even got a little detective work in. Wonder if his leads will turn up anything worth wile... If you're upset that Moka and Yukari didn't get as much screen time as Kurumu, don't worry. They'll get their moments. My favorite part of this whole chapter? Ragnarok. He's so much fun to write! Tell me, what do you think of Ragnarok's little talk with Keito?

Alright, if you enjoyed this chapter, please let me know by leaving a review. If you didn't sorry (but please no flames!), maybe next time. And if you liked this story, maybe you should try one of my others like...:

Guardian of the League  
>Deadliest Warrior, Season X<br>Deadliest Character  
>The Many Faces of Naruto Uzumaki<br>The Lantern Chronicles  
>Naruto In Hell<br>The Last Laugh of Konoha

And for everyone who commented: INNER MOKA WILL RETURN! SHE WILL MEET CRONA FACE TO FACE! IT WILL NOT BE A HAPPY OCCASION!

If you think you have an awesome move for Crona to use in a future fight, leave it in the comments. I consider all submitted attacks, and if I use one you will receive credit.

_Next Time: The War between the Newspaper Club and the Safety Commission kicks off! Opposing sides will meet face to face; lives will be put at risk, and madness will rear its head once more! Will Crona be able to keep his secret safe for much longer? Will Moka be able to control her madness? Will Gin finally find what he's been searching for? Find out next time, in_

**Chapter 9: Dealing With Secrets**

****Until Next Time...****


	9. Dealing with Secrets & Retaliation

**Oh man... feels like I haven't updated in forever. Still, nice to get back to work with... wait... (Sees date of last update) No... no that can't be! **

**I SLEPT TO LONG! **

**All joking aside, I am so so sorry for the wait you guys. It has been a MAJORLY CRAZY YEAR, all caps, so you know it's serious.** **Still, I'm back now, and that's what's important. When we last left our heroes, they had their first encounter with the Safety Commission. After a couple of battles, some investigating, and a shadowy figure, things were really heating up. **

**Now we continue with this arch, already in progress... **

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-**Chapter 9: Dealing with Secrets and Retaliation**_

Kishin.

A god class creature of insanity and fear. Only one has been proven to exist, and if the world had its way, that was one to many.

At Youkai Academy, they were the only creature hated more then humans. Yes humans had wagged war on the monsters for as long as both had walked the Earth, but they were, in the monster's eyes, weak and little threat in comparison to the Kishin. The Kishin had no sense of loyalty to its fellow monsters It would rampage and destroy and drive mad all in its wake.

The Academy, even though it was exclusive to supernatural entities, would never allow a Kishin to enter. From the legends told about the creatures, and the aura of madness that leaked off them, there should be no way for them to slip in unnoticed.

"I do not believe you." Kuyou said simply to the dark. The voice had promised him a way to execute Crona without consequence, and all it brought him was a half baked claim that the boy was one of the rarest creatures in existence. He was Justice at this Academy, and it was his job to protect the peace. But even if he hated Crona, and he most certainly did, the notion of a Kishin in his school was nonsense. He'd sooner believe a human had somehow snuck in.

The voice chuckled, seemingly amused by Kuyou's remarks "Don't you want to see the destruction of the Newspaper Club, which has been defying the Public Safety Commission for how long now?

Koyou ground his teeth. He did want to destroy them. But he couldn't do it without proof. He glared at a photo on his desk of the boy. He looked so nervous in the picture… how was that a Kishin?

"The newspaper club's Crona Gorgon… if he really is a Kishin, what are you going to do?" Kuyou glared at the darkness, which continued to speak regardless of the fact that the room had started to heat up drastically "According to the Law, it wouldn't matter if he were killed would it? Right along with his friends at the newspaper club… am I right?"

Kuyou clenched his fists, glaring down at the papers on his desk so hard they started to smolder. He had a dilemma, and the solution sounded so tantalizingly easy…

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

**Meanwhile, with the Newspaper Club, the Next Day: **

"You FUCKING STUPID IDIOTS!" Gin yelled so loud the ground shook! It was the day after his meeting with Shu, and he was not in a good mood. Apparently, the paranoid demon couldn't get him in to see the security room that day, at least not without leaving a suspicious trail to anyone who might have their eyes on Gin (say, the Safety Division); so the werewolf was forced to wait until Shu could pull some strings and get him in in secret.

Now he found out that not only had his fellow club members defied his wishes, they had managed to make things about a thousand times worse. "You're saying not only did you start something with the Academy Cops, but then you went and beat some of them up?!" he cried, veins in his face visibly pulsating at the idea.

Thank goodness Crona hadn't fussed up to killing Keito. Poor Gin might have had a damn aneurysm in the middle of the class.

Crona and the rest could only stand by stoically as Gin ranted on (except Ragnarok. He had taken out a notepad and was playing Mash to kill time).

"Didn't I say you'd be in monster trouble if you put one hand on those guys!" Gin said, pounding his fist against the blackboard "The Academy Police is a violent gang formed right at the center of Japan's monster population! It's rotten all the way to Kuyou at the top, it's an organization of badasses!"

Here Ragnarok couldn't hide a snicker _**"Really? 'Cause we took care of that Keito bitch pretty easily." **_he said rather smugly _**"And it didn't look like Kurumu had much trouble with her little bug gang; and even Moka managed to nearly choke a bitch out." **_he said, listing off the groups victories over the gang. He turned to look down at Yukari _**"Heck, only pipsqueak here didn't get any action, and even then I bet she could have taken those losers. Probably just drop a table on 'em, it'd be more then enough." **_he shrugged, ignoring the look Gin was giving him.

Finally, the werewolf just canceled club for the day. Apparently he needed time to think, and just looking at them was giving him a headache. He told them (practically begged was more like it) to stay out of trouble, and stay out of sight of anyone who looked like they might be able to even spell safety commission.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Crona sighed as he headed back towards his room after dropping the girls off at their's. Gin was, in a way, right. There was no way the SC was just going to let this go, especially once they figured out that Keito was never coming back. Then there was the problematic fact that they knew about his… extracurricular activities with the student body. While he'd stick by his mission to the very end, he knew the SC would either use it as an excuse to either blackmail him, or barring that arrest him should he refuse.

No two ways about it, the SC would have to be taken care of… permanently. But while Ragnarok was practically salivating at all the souls they'd acquire, Crona took no joy in the thought of the coming slaughter. If he thought for a moment they would keep his secret, he'd just let them be. But he knew that wouldn't be the case; and it wasn't like he could just stop! There was no way! What would Maka think-

Crona blinked as someone bumped into him, and felt something pressed into his hand. It was a girl, possibly in the same year as him, with a terrified look in her eyes. The moment their eyes locked, she bolted, leaving a confused Crona in her wake.

Looking down, he saw that she'd passed him a note. Unfolding it, he quickly took in its contents, Ragnarok hovering just over his shoulder.

Once he'd read it twice to make sure he'd gotten it right, he tore it to pieces. Then, after watching them flutter to the ground, he turned around and tore off in the opposite direction of the boys dorms.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Moka watched her love walk away, the other girls heading off to their rooms. She managed to maintain her composure until the door shut then she could bare it no longer. She dashed to her medicine cabinet to find her aspirin, as the worst headache she'd ever had tore at her skull.

Ever since they'd walked out of the Newspaper Room, her head had ached something fierce; so badly she could swear she was hearing some kind of high pitched whining in the background. Seeing as how Crona and the girls hadn't acted like anything was amiss, she'd dismissed this option.

After taking her pain pills, she'd tried to relax; setting up her easel and taking out her paints, she tried to do a simple landscape. But she just couldn't. No matter how hard she tried to focus, the whining droned on in her skull! Her hands grew shaky, and she could barely draw a straight line!

Standing up, Moka's legs nearly gave out under her. She stumbled, and knocked several art supplies to the floor. _'What the hell is wrong with me?'_ she thought, beginning to get seriously worried. Maybe she should see the school nurse?

As she straightened up and considered seeking medical aid, her eye caught sight of the mirror she kept by her dresser. For a slight moment… she could have sworn… had her eyes changed color? What if this was… no, couldn't be. Ridiculous; her inner self was locked down tight. She was just seeing things. Which meant now she REALLY wanted to see the nurse!

And so, with clumsy footsteps, Moka headed back out onto the campus grounds; the high pitched whine still buzzing in her head…

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

The moment her beloved and friends were out of sight, Kurumu released a pent up sigh. Sitting on her bed, she gazed at her reflection in a nearby mirror. She hadn't slept well at all last night, but had managed to hide it well. She couldn't… no, wouldn't be able to explain herself if her friends started asking questions.

Normally she'd be bustling about her quarters: baking, plotting to get Crona, doing homework, fantasizing about Crona, doing some extra work for the Newspaper club, doing unspeakable things to herself beneath her sheets while thinking about Crona… you know the usual. But tonight she just didn't have the energy for it. And she didn't know if she ever would again.

A pain ran through Kurumu's body and she wrapped her arms around her stomach, groaning in pain. After a moment it passed, leaving a dull ache behind.

_"We need to talk about this." _the voice in her mind sounded a mixture of concerned and determined.

"Leave me alone." Kurumu said, speaking out loud, if only to fill the quiet of her room. "This is all your fault. I should have never listened to you!"

The voice 'sighed' and Kurumu could feel the exasperated eye roll in the back of her mind _"Continue to think that if it makes you feel better. But may I remind you that without me, you'd likely be dead?" _

Kurumu flopped down on her bed, burying her face in her pillow. "I'd almost rather be. Better to be dead then… then…"

_"Then what?" _

She couldn't finish the sentence. That would be as bad as admitting what she was.

_"Admitting it is the first step in getting over it!" _the voice barely raised its voice, but to Kurumu it might as well be shouting.

The room suddenly seemed much to small. Grabbing a jacket to protect her against the night air, Kurumu slipped open her window and flew out into the night. She needed some fresh air to clear her head anyway.

_"Don't think you can just ignore me." _The voice warned _"This isn't like just something that's going to go away if you don't think about it." _

The voice was right of course, Kurumu knew that. Hell, it wasn't like she could **stop** thinking about it. That horrible day… what led to this pain inside her…

_**"FLASHBACK!" **_

Kurumu stood over the bodies of the three girls who so recently would have killed her. If not kill her, at the very least they would have brought her to their master to be turned into a lobotomized slave like them. It had taken awhile, with some help from her… Mind Voice(?) but she had emerged victorious.

But then the girls had started screaming. Apparently their master was… gone, and without her these girls were nothing more the hollow shells. Kurumu frankly hadn't been sure what to do. Until the Mind Voice offered a suggestion.

"YOU WANT ME TO WHAT?!"

_"You heard me. You've looked into their heads. These girls have no mind to speak of. They are essentially dead, and I want you to finish the job. I want you to kill them."_

Kurumu couldn't believe the voice. It sounded so cold and clinical, she could hardly believe it was part of her. "I can't do that! It's murder!"

_"No it isn't." _the voice responded, not at all put off by Kurumu's dislike _"It's an act of mercy. Think of it like this… these girls suffered in silence as they were made into obedient slaves to that wretched Keito girl. Now, with their mistress gone, their brains are fried. If we don't do anything, they will likely spend the rest of their days in the school infirmary, collecting dust. That is, unless one of the victims of the Safety Commission finds out they're there and decides to take revenge. Or some pervert decides to take advantage of their comatose state."_ Kurumu winced, the words made sense, yet she still felt like their had to be another option.

_"Such as?"_ the voice asked _"The Safety Commission deciding to take care of them? Doubtful. Send them back to their families? Please, not all monsters are like Crona, and you know how most would react_" That statement did ring true. In the monster world of might makes right, these girls would never be taken in by their families.

_"See…You know what you must do. An act of charity now to spare them from future suffering."_ Kurumu struggled to come up with a response. Something, anything to make what the voice said not true. After all, she had to do something, as she certainly couldn't just leave the girls lying in the middle of the woods. Oh, what would Crona do…

The voice answered her thoughts _"Crona always does what is right. He spared you. He helped Yukari. He stood up to the Safety Commission. He would do what needs to be done." _

Kurumu gulped… that was it. The last vestiges of her resistance crumbled before the argument of the voice.

Stepping towards three girls, Kurumu lengthened a single nail to sword length, it's razor sharp edge glinting in the light. This wasn't like that perverse slug boy, or the menacing mermaids… these three could no longer defend themselves. Still, they had tried to kill her…brainwash her even.

Taking a deep breath, and knowing that if she didn't do it now she'd loose her nerve, she stepped for ward and stabbed downward three times in rapid succession. Each strike was precise, piercing the heart of a girl and ending their life as quickly as possible.

As her nail returned to normal, Kurumu released a shuddering sigh. That hadn't been…to bad. And now it was over, and she could put this out of her mind because…

Wait. What was happening? Why were the bodies-

_**"FLASHBACK END!" **_

'NO!' Kurumu screamed inside her head. She didn't want to think about this anymore. She was done! It wasn't real, it didn't happen!

_"Keep saying it all you want. You know exactly what happened next was real…" _

And as the argument in her mind went back and forth, Kurumu didn't seem to notice her body was on autopilot, carrying her further and further away from the safety of the campus…

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Crona couldn't help but gulp. This place… was certainly more intimidating then the school proper. While the Safety Offices weren't as tall as the main school building, laying low to the ground like some great beast, the aura it gave off… was nearly tangible. Despite its name, Crona could tell this was not a Safe place to be, and if he was smart, he would turn around right now, and forget he'd even heard of such a place.

Crona opened the door and stepped inside.

Inside looked like a common reception area. There was a reception desk, currently vacant, several chairs with semi-comfortable seats, magazines that looked to be about three years to old… if Crona didn't know better he'd say he was in a doctor's waiting room then the headquarters for what was basically a school mob.

Emerging from a door just to the left, Kuyou stuck his head out and looked around. Seeing him, he gave a smile that might have been pleasant to those that did not know him. "Ah, Crona, right on time. Please, follow me." Reluctantly, Crona followed.

Stepping through the door, the atmosphere immediately changed. Electric lights were replaced by torches, and carpeted floors was replaced by stone tiles. It was like stepping into a completely different building. Descending some steps, Crona was sure he could hear a dull din coming from just ahead, but couldn't quite identify what it was.

Then Kuyou opened a door, and the answer was clear.

It was a long hallway, with cells on either side. The noise was sobbing, pleading, and screaming of the prisoners contained therein. None looked to be in good health, some were beaten, and other just stared blankly ahead, as though they had given up hope. The ones who pleaded their innocence were completely ignored by the guards that stood outside the cells every twenty feet or so.

As he and Kuyou walked down the hall, the torches flaring as the head of the commission walked passed, Crona noticed that each cell had a number identifying the prisoner, and the charge for which they were being held. And while some would have normally been on Crona's hit list (the drug dealer, the sexual harasser, and the guy who stole from the Baking Club's first bake sale) it was hard to get in a killing mood when they were right besides those who clearly did not belong there (the litterbug, the jaywalker, and the 'guy who looked a little bit too suspicious').

Finally the hallway ended and they entered a dark room, with only a single desk and a single light shining on it. Kuyou took his place behind the desk, and Crona took the seat in front of it. The vibe in the room was so tense that you could cut it with a chainsaw, and Crona found he couldn't even enjoy the overly comfy chair he was sitting in.

Kuyou steepled his fingers. "I'm not one to beat around the bush Crona, so I'll just come right out and say it. We know."

Crona said nothing, but his body stiffening (even more so then usual) told Kuyou more then words ever could.

_**"Know what exactly?" **_the silence was broken by the little blood demon breaking out of Crona's back, casting a glare at Kuyou and his surroundings _**"That's a pretty vague statement. I know lots of things too, but they don't let me drag people down to my secret basement of evil." **_he snorted, crossing his arms.

A frown marred Kuyou's face "Evil? Is that what you think. We are not evil, we are justice at this-"

Ragnarok rudely butted in _**"Please just… don't. Just don't. Nobody wants to hear the 'we're really the good guys despite acting like a complete bunch of assclowns' speech. My time is too valuable for that. Besides…" **_he pointed looked at the dark room _**"How many 'keepers of justice' do you know that hang out in a dark dungeon plotting the downfall of a newspaper club?" **_he asked as Kuyou's frown only got deeper and deeper.

The sudden change to a smirk, however, was what put both Crona and Ragnarok off guard. "True…" Kuyou said slowly, lowering his hands to the table "I suppose to the uneducated this would look like a strange set up…" then his smirk got truly viscous "Not the same as say… hunting students down and killing them when no one is looking?"

Now it was Crona's turn to frown. So that was how it was going to be.

Kuyou continued "Did you think no one would catch on? Oh sure the slug boy was the first one we actually saw, but did you think no one would find it strange that just about everyone you've had an 'encounter' with is now either missing or whoring themselves out to you?" Kuyou took great pleasure in Crona's clenching fists, clearly that last comment about his friends struck a nerve. "And you have the gall to call us evil? How hypocritical."

Crona stood up at that "At least the those people were actually evil!" he would not have his mission questioned by these frauds. Maka would have approved his mission, and that's all he needed, and he would not have them questioning her hypothetical judgement "All you do is harass people and extort money from them! You're the real bad guys here not me!" nearly shouting, Crona's eyes were wide and he was close to becoming hysterical.

Kuyou leaned back in his chair, scratching his chin "I suppose we'll just have to agree to disagree." he said, his comment catching his guests off guard. They had felt sure that Kuyou would defend his position as keeper of justice to the bitter end. What was he playing at.

"Crona" he said, suddenly sitting up straight "I want you to join me. Join the Safety Commission. You may be a little rough around the edges, but we could use a monster of your power…" his eyes glowed in the dark of the room "A Kishin…" he whispered.

Crona nearly blacked out in surprise. "A… a what?" he said, not sure how to handle what was going on. The killing thing he got but… how did they know about **THIS?!** That was a secret he hadn't told anyone! No one should know!

Kuyou chuckled darkly "Don't try to deny it. The aura of fear and madness you project into the air… the fact that no one can identify a monster with any of your traits…besides, I already have testimony that that is what you are." Crona blinked, trying to think of who would know that would tell, but came up blank "And the fact that you are one, even suspected of being one in fact, is enough to execute you and everyone you've spoken to since coming here." Kuyou explained. "So what's it going to be boy? Will you join us in making this school pure with the fires of justice… or do I end your life right now?"

Crona and Ragnarok didn't even have to think about it. "Never." _**"Yeah, besides its not like you even have any proof! Expert testimony my ass! Probably someone you just paid off. It'll never fly dumbass!" **_

Kuyou just laughed, a deep throaty chuckle that echoed in the large stone room. "Perhaps your right. I barely believe it myself. Still, I do have SOME evidence, even if it isn't to the crime I'd like to nail you for."

Now that got the two's attention. "Evidence…" Crona whispered nervously, looking to Ragnarok in worry. The blood demon shrugged, not really all that concerned. They were gonna kill the guy anyway, now they had all the more reason to.

Kuyou just smiled, resisting kicking his feet up on the desk "Yes, evidence. I just got it a little while ago…" his thoughts turned to the little package that had been delivered to him not moments before Crona had arrived and was safely tucked in his desk. "The final nail in your coffin, boy." His eyes locked with Crona's "What a shame all of your friends will have to pay the price for associating with a criminal."

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Gin blinked, taken aback as he studied the room. Shu had contacted him telling him that if he wanted his chance, now was the time. Apparently Shu had convinced the student in charge of looking after the room (a Naru-something or other) to take an extra long lunch break. He and Shu were apparently old friends, so he had assured Shu that no one would bother them. If they needed any extra help finding what they were looking for though, the freshmen intern that was shadowing him would be there to help.

There were video tapes stacked from the floor of the room to the very top of the ceiling. Each tape was labeled with a few letters, and a date and time stamp.

"What… how… there are so many!"

Shu just snorted "No shit. You'd think more people would notice the cameras, but I'm told they're enchanted so that only the most senior faculty members and the Headmaster know. Them and maybe the Safety goons, I always kinda figured they knew. They're enchanted so you can only see them if you know they're there, so now that you know, you should start seeing them around campus. There are enough cameras covering the school that you can't hardly go anywhere without big brother watching."

An unbidden smirk crept onto Gin's face "Really… everywhere you say?" he asked, his cheeks darkening as mature fantasies worked their way into his head.

A roll of the eyes and a grunt of disgust was his only response. Shu sometimes wondered why he associated with this horndog. "Get your head out of the gutter you stupid wolf" the tanuki mumbled in annoyance "Areas like that are stored in a separate room, and can only be accessed by a teacher or higher. So if this guy committed a crime there, sorry man but you're shit out of luck. On a different note, you also can't access the tapes to the faculty lounge, the headmasters office, or the Safety Committee's HQ. " he explained, as though to a three year old, making Gin's eyes narrow. The wolf hated being talked down to, and if he didn't need Shu he might punch him in the face.

Sucking it up, Gin went back to scanning the tapes "That still leaves a hell of a lot of ground to cover, it's not like the academy is exactly small…" he ran his hand through his hair, trying to think of a way to narrow down the search.

"Yup" Shu added helpfully "And unless you know exactly what you're looking for, you could be here forever, which I imagine is more time then you wanted to spend here."

Gin wanted to bang his head on the wall in frustration; he was so close to catching the bastard! The answers were practically right in front of him, and he STILL might not find what he was looking for! "Dammit…" he growled, and began grabbing tapes to start scanning.

As he made a small pile in front of him, he heard the door to the room open again "Ah, and there's our little helper now! How are you Asadme-chan!" he heard Shu say in a teasing voice. Turning, he saw a short, obviously freshman blond blush at Shu's address.

"Oh h-hi Shu…" the girl's yellow eyes darted anywhere but the taller boy, her hands clenched as though in prayer "I-I didn't expect to see you again so soon. W-was the tape I gave you not the right one?" she asked looking at him curiously.

Shu frowned, as did Gin behind him "Asadme what are you talking about? I just came to look for the tape I needed now…?" he trailed off uncertainly.

Now the poor girl looked even more confused "B-but why would you n-need to look for it? You knew exactly which one you wanted earlier? You came right in and asked Uzumaki-sensei for the tape, smiled at me" here her blush deepened "And left. I thought… well I mean… I don't know what's going on." she confessed dropping her head.

Gin and Shu shared a look "Asadme… when exactly did 'I' come and get this tape?" he asked.

The blonde looked back up "It w-was just th-thirty minutes ago." she replied.

Now Gin was beginning to freak out. He knew for a fact that Shu had been with him practically since he left his club, and couldn't be the one who took the tape. It was unlikely the girl was mistaken in who took the tape, given how she was acting around Shu. But that could only mean one thing: Someone else had the tape.

But how would they know what was on the tape? Did they know? And how? And why would they take it minutes before the real Shu and him would come for it? Were they trying to nail Crona as well, or protect him? So many questions, but one of them that was most pressing:

Who had the tape now?

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Crona tensed, his knuckles white as snow as he restrained himself from leaping over the desk to decapitate the smug looking bastard before him. "What have you done to my friends?" he asked carefully.

Kuyou smirked "Well you see Crona…" he drew the sentence out, enjoying the suffering he was causing. "If they knew about your little… escapades, and didn't inform anyone about what you were doing; why that's aiding and abetting a criminal!" he said in mock horror, fiendish glee in his eyes. "That's more then enough to arrest them right now." he said with a smirk.

"They knew nothing!" Crona could barely keep himself from screaming as he slammed his fist down on the desk. There was no way in hell he was going to allow his friends to be brought to this awful place. He'd burn it to ground so they'd never even have to SEE the inside of this foul building.

Kuyou's smirk only grew "So you say." he said, waving dismissivly "But how am I to take the word of a criminal? A possible Kishin no less." he asked rhetorically. Crona shot to his feet but Kuyou just rolled his eyes "Oh sit down will you, I don't plan on arresting them." he said.

That statement made both Crona and Ragnarok blink. They had almost expected trumped up charges to be brought against them, and to a lesser extent their friends. But to find out this guy didn't plan on brining them in…

**"What are you playing at?" **Ragnarok asked, cracking his knuckles, hoping the display would intimidate some answers out of the Commission leader. It didn't work, but he needn't have bothered.

Kuyou leaned back in his chair "Well you see Crona, my people and the Newspaper Club have been going at each other for some time now. It seems every year or so a new group springs up that doesn't want to play by our rules, and we have to teach them a lesson." Crona's frown deepened, knowing exactly what kind of lesson the Safety Commission would teach to anyone that didn't kowtow to them.

Kuyou continued "However, it seems like the Newspaper Club never learns its place in this school. No matter how hard we stomp them down, they just crop back up, like a weed." Kuyou leaned forward, interlocking his fingers as he rested his elbows on the desk "But I finally think I figured out a way to solve the problem. Permanently." he practically hissed, his aura seeping to the air, making it grow uncomfortably warm "You see, I don't plan on arresting the rest of your pitiful little club. I plan on making them… disappear. And you with them."

By the time Crona leapt to his feet, it was already to late. Beneath his chair a hidden trap door fell away, taking a surprised Crona with it. He fell and fell through a long tunnel, the walls etched with seals to prevent the use of supernatural powers so that monsters with flying or magical abilities couldn't escape.

After what felt like ages he left the tunnel and was suddenly in an open, dome-shaped room the size of a colosseum. Slamming into the ground didn't cause him much pain, as the space between the massively tall ceiling and the floor below was more then enough for him to harden his blood to take the blunt of the damage.

As he stood up, he surveyed the massive room. There were levels wrapping around it that practically went to the ceiling. And each level was lined with cells, each crammed with monsters. Some were howling their innocence, others were crying at the injustice, and others just sat in the cages silent and broken. The whole place stank of filth and misery.

Before Crona could even think of what to do next, the screech of a PA system caught everyone's attention. The sound of clearing throat indicated that it was Kuyou, and Crona could practically hear the smug dripping from his every word.

"Attention criminal scum of Youkai Academy. Today, the forces of justice wish to offer you a very special deal. A deal which, if you come through, will earn you your freedom." Now he had everyone's attention, as each prisoner quickly moved to press their face against the bars of their cells.

"There is now a boy in your midst named Crona Gorgon." Crona started when he heard his name called "Does everyone see him? Get a good look now…" Kuyou jeered "What I want you to do… is kill him. The prisoner who takes this boy's life shall walk free." and with the challenge given, each and every cell slid open, allowing the occupants to walk out for the first time in ages.

Crona felt all eyes on him as each prisoner took a moment to examine him, sizing him up. Then, almost as one, they gave a guttural scream and leapt at him.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Yukari sighed as she closed the book in front of her. She had finished all her homework and had been studying for an upcoming exam (despite all else, Youkai Academy was still technically a school). She had found it extra hard to concentrate tonight, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts and ideas. So much had happened recently, and she was still taking it all in.

Lord Crona had been in another fight, and this time he had had that big breasted cow Kurumu with him to help out. Yukari didn't really dislike the succubus, but she couldn't help but feel jealous every time she looked at the extremely well developed girl.

But this was more then just about boob size. Yukari knew that her Lord was not so shallow that he wouldn't accept a small breasted girl like her into his eventual harem (though come to think of it, Ragnarok might). This was about that fact that she wasn't particularly helpful when it came to fights. Kurumu could fight. Moka could fight. Lord Crona fought extremely well. Her? Not so much… She could distract an enemy with her tricks, but that's all they were, tricks.

Flopping back in her chair, Yukari wished she could figure out what area of magic she was best at. What was her familiar animal? What was her element? What was her special brand of magic that she could use to open a can of whoop-ass on the next person who looked at Lord Crona funny? She felt so weak…

Yukari was broken out of her funk by a knock at the door. "Yukari?" an all to familiar voice called. Yukari's face immediately brightened and she ran to the door, throwing it open

"Lord Crona!" she cried. She was surprised he had come back, she figured he would have gone back to his dorm by now…

Crona scratched the back of his head, looking unsure of what to say "You…um… you looked like you had a lot on your mind. Did you want to talk about it?"

Yukari's eyes widened. He had known she had a problem and needed to talk even before she'd known herself! She knew that he cared for her! This was just another checkmark on the list of attaining his absolute love for her.

She was so overwhelmed that she couldn't help but grab Crona around the waist in a tight hug "Oh Lord Crona you do care!" she squealed, making Crona wince as at the noise.

Crona returned the hug, muttering "Oh course I care Yukari, you're one of my best friends and I-"

Whatever Crona was going to say next was lost on Yukari as something very important occurred to her: Crona was hugging her.

Crona was hugging her.

**Crona **was hugging **HER!**

She had initiated the hug, and now he was returning it. That had… never happened before. Normally Crona was stiff as a board when people touched him, but now he was hugging her like any normal person would. And while she'd like to think that maybe Crona was simply loosening up around her… her ear was close enough to his chest that she could hear his heartbeat. It was calm and steady. Crona would never be **THAT **comfortable after so short a time span… but that meant… oh god!

Stepping back from 'Crona' Yukari tried not to let her panic show. "Hey Lord Crona" she said, trying not to gag from a combination of worry and disgust that she had to address this impostor as though he were her lord. "Since you're here, can I show you a new trick I learned?" she asked as sweetly as she could.

Not-Crona nodded "Sure, and after that, there's something really important I need to show you…" he trailed off as Yukari gathered her wand, some magical cards, and some other stuff. What was this strange half-blood going to show him?

Then Yukari took what looked like a red cherry and threw it at the ground at his feet. Instantly the room was filled with bright red cloying smoke. Not-Crona's coughed and he couldn't see. He heard some muttering, and turned to face the noise, only to be hit upside the head as what he suspected was a metal washbin banged against his head.

"I don't know who you are, but when I get the REAL Crona you are in SO MUCH trouble!" the little witch shouted before Not-Crona felt his arms bound by magically enchanted sheet.

As he heard her footsteps retreat and the dust settle, an ugly look could be seen on the Not-Crona's face. "So the little bitch found me out huh? She's a smart little half-blood. Very well" Sucking in a breath, Not-Crona's body shifted, becoming unnaturally flat and allowing the bindings on him to fall to the flood.

Stepping out of her room he took a deep breath to gather her scent. There was no way to hide. Not-Crona popped his neck and rolled his arms, chuckling a little "The chase is on… little girl."

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Before Kurumu's eyes, the bodies of the girls dissolved, even their uniforms, all turning to a sort of ethereal dust. The only thing left behind were three glowing orbs, each a sort of olive green with flecks of pinkish-red. They pulsed slightly, hovering just over the ground. They made no noise, yet Kurumu felt like they were calling out to her, or rather, to some deep primal part of her.

This seemed familiar, but how? It was almost like they were…

"Oh my god! Those are souls!" she nearly shouted, taking a shaky step back and falling on her ass. Suddenly it all fit, those three things were the souls of those girls! Her mother had once told her, when discussing the history of their race (what little she bothered to remember), that succubi had once been able to gain strength and power by consuming the souls of the men they bedded. But over time, as the race dwindled in number, fewer and fewer cases of soul consumption were recorded, until it was thought to be a myth.

And yet, here they were…

Kurumu realized she was much closer to the souls now then she had been a second ago, the three orbs gathered in her hands. The pulsing quickened, as though the souls sensed what had grabbed them.

All that those girls were or would have been rested in their souls. These tiny things contained the spark of their lives. And with little effort, she could-

No. No she couldn't. Ending their suffering had been one thing, but this, this was something entirely different.

_'Kurumu, listen to me. You need to eat those souls.'_

Kurumu blinked, had her inner voice really just told her to… "Why? I've already freed them, why should I…. I eat them too? That's too much!"

_'Because if you don't, those souls will dissipate naturally; going who knows where, if they go anywhere at all and don't just fade away. Then they're no good to anyone. If you eat them, you can become stronger. Then you won't have to worry about being weak or pushed around, you'll be able to fight off anyone without fear!'_

Kurumu shook her head, her blue bangs whipping about "No… it's not right! I never should have listened to you!" she wanted to drop the souls and run away from this place. But she couldn't. Her body shook, but her hands would not drop the souls. "What's going on?"

_'Don't look at me, this is your bodies natural instincts girl. Your own body wants this. Get on board. Consider it a reward for besting them and then freeing them? Claim their souls and let's get out of here.' _

Her hands inched closer to her face, and she found she couldn't take her eyes off the souls. Souls didn't have a smell, or really any of the appealing features one found in food, and yet she couldn't help but think they looked delicious.

NO! To consume their life essence… it was to weird, to wrong… Wasn't it? Well… technically it was what her people did… but did that make it right? Her people also enslaved men, and she didn't want any part of that.

Though really… what could it hurt? These three girls, allied with the worst people in the school… she didn't even know their names… she couldn't imagine that they had a lot of friends that would come looking for them, given who they worked for. But did that make it right? Did she have the right to do this to them? They were dead weren't they? Would they really care?

The souls were right in front of her face now, and she still didn't know what to do. She was fighting her own racial instincts, and she wasn't even sure of her convictions! Suddenly, her stomach gave a pained growl, and she owned her mouth to release a low moan of pain.

That was when her body struck, shoving the souls into her mouth. It would get rid of that pain for her… Kurumu wasn't sure what was going on… she could feel the three souls, crammed into her mouth, making her cheeks puff out like a chipmunks. She could taste the souls, so sweet warm… oh gods they were perfect.

Still…she should spit them out. They were people, not food! This… this wasn't right… probably… maybe…

Back and forth she went, sitting there in the middle of the woods, with a mouth full of souls. Until finally she couldn't take it anymore, and swallowed, giving in to her bodies instincts. She basked in the glow as the souls settled into her body.

Maybe she had been overreacting. As she stood up and brushed herself off though, things began to take a turn. Emotions, thoughts, and memories began to flash through her head. They were distinctly alien to her, and at no point did she mistake them for her own… but still…

"What… what's going on?" she grunted, doubling over as multiple sets of lives flashed before her eyes, giving her impressions of thoughts and ideas before, in an instant, they faded away.

Then it struck her: These were the lives of the girls, every moment they had experienced up to this point. And all those moments were being eaten away, absorbed into her body to strengthen it. With every memory that flashed before her, she felt a tiny bit more powerful.

"Stop it… stop it!" she cried, willing the horror to stop. She couldn't bare it, all those thoughts and feelings that weren't hers… It was like she was robbing the dead of their peace! She didn't want to know these girls! And here she was seeing their every moment in fast forward.

And so, with a great mental heave, she halted the process. Her body clenched in great agony, her succubi physiology not meant for such a strain. A soul absorption wasn't meant to be done halfway, it was an all or nothing deal. But Kurumu didn't know, understand, or care about any of this. She shakily made her way back to her feet. It was unlikely she'd be able to vomit up souls, but she damn sure wasn't going to experience that again.

She walked off in search of… anyone really. She didn't want to be alone right now. She ignored her inner voice calling out to her. It was her fault, she never should have listened to her in the first place. Kurumu didn't know what to do, so she settled on burying it. The souls, the voice, all of it, burying them down and doing her best to forget about it.

_**"FLASHBACK END!" **_

But she hadn't been able to forget about it. The voice called out incessantly, begging for her attention. Turns out it was rather hard to ignore your own thoughts. As for the souls, the act of halting the process, and keeping it halted, caused her daily pain. Letting up for a moment caused the absorption to start up again.

Kurumu landed and couldn't help but start to cry. She had killed three people and eaten their souls because she'd listened to a voice in her head. Was she going crazy? What would the others think? More importantly, what would Crona think? The fact that he was still her friend after she tried to mentally enslave him was miracle enough, but how would he deal with her when he found out she was a murdering soul eater? The future seemed bleak, and she couldn't cope.

"Is…is someone there?" a strained voice called from out of the dark, making Kurumu jump. Who could possibly out here so late… besides her anyway?

"Please…please help me!" the voice called again, sounding to be in genuine pain. Kurumu hesitated, then followed. No matter how she may feel, she would try to be a good person. And that meant helping someone in need, even if she SO wasn't in the mood.

Entering a small clearing, she saw the owner of the voice. It was clearly an older student, and a big muscular one at that; with wild hair and stubble on his chin. He was also pinned beneath a very large tree. His legs were hidden, and Kurumu dreaded to think what had happened to them. He had one hand visible, and it was straining against the tree.

"Oh thank god!" he gave a sigh of relief at the sight of her. His voice was deep, and shook Kurumu to the core with every word he spoke. "I thought I was gonna die out here."

Kurumu stepped closer "What exactly happened?" she asked, wondering how such a large student could get caught like this.

"Help first, explanation later…please!" he managed to mutter, and Kurumu realized that now was probably not the best time for an interrogation. Stepping forward, her fingers became like swords, and she quickly hacked he tree into smaller logs. Four slices later, the boy was able to push the main log on him away. Thankfully his leg didn't look to hurt, though his ankle was clearly twisted. Kurumu helped him into a sitting position.

The man grunted in pain a bit "Well… I'm part of the Lumberjack club" he waited a second, as though he expected Kurumu to laugh or make a snide remark "Anyway, we're having a contest tomorrow, and I came out here to practice." he grunted in frustration "I should have known better then to come alone, but I got cocky" he ran one of his large hands through his messy locks. As he was lost in thought, Kurumu couldn't help but notice that his shirt had been torn open, revealing an absolutely Amazing set of abs.

"I went to work on this tree here as fast as I could, but I must have made a mistake in the cut… because it didn't collapse the way it should have. It… well it fell on top of me instead." he looked at her sheepishly. He had the most beautiful green eyes she had ever seen. "If you hadn't come out here… my god I could have died!" he suddenly moved forward and wrapped her in a hug. Normally Kurumu would have kicked his ass for this… but something held her back. Maybe it was nice just to be thanked and take her mind off her troubles. Maybe it was because she knew that she could easily take a man that had lost a fight to a tree. Or maybe it was because he smelled so good… like sweat and musk and something… primal?

He pulled back and looked at her in the eyes again "My name is Sado. Sado Yuchimaou. Please let me repay your kindness" he said, his words like honey, his touch feeling wonderful on her skin, his eye like twin pools.

"N-no" Kurumu stuttered, then blushed. No one made her stutter like this except Crona! "That's really not necessary. Le-let's go and get you fixed up eh?" she wanted to look away from him. Why did she suddenly feel so hot inside? This Sado seemed nice enough, but he wasn't her type. Crona was the only man for her. And yet…

As she helped him up, Sado tilted his head, a small pout gracing his features "But Kurumu, you've been so wonderful. Why not let me make you feel wonderful in return?" he asked, his voice echoing in her head. For a moment, she was very tempted. After all, it wasn't like she was getting anywhere with Crona anywhere fast right? Why not indulge a little with this hunk of a man. Why not let go and have a bit of fun? Why not-Wait a second….

"How do you know my name?" Kurumu gasped, a part of her mind beginning to panic, even as the heavy warmth she got from being so near Sado grew stronger.

Sado blinked, and reached up to awkwardly scratch his stubble "Hmm…gave myself away a bit there didn't I? Shouldn't a said that…" he sighed, before his look suddenly intensified, and he spoke one word:

**"Charm" **

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Moka was trying to get to the infirmary, but it always seemed so far away. It let like she'd been walking for hours, when really, it couldn't have been more then a few minutes. Either way, something was definitely wrong.

Her head felt like it was splitting open. Somewhere in the distance, she could almost hear the cracks… She passed a window, and nearly died of fright, her reflection was GLARING at her!

She'd picked up her pace, and was now stumble-running to find a nurse that would help fix…whatever this was! But as she rounded a corner, she stopped dead.

There, walking towards her… was Her! But not real her, Inner her!

"Oh please, we both know that I'M the real one, you're nothing but a fake with an attitude problem" she said, her voice just as smug as Moka remembered.

"How…how are you here?" She whimpered "I locked you up, and threw away the key! You can't be here!"

Inner her grinned, baring her fang; had they always looked so much sharper then her's? "The how is unimportant, I imagine it has to do with your weak little mind being unable to hold me. Not surprising, considering that imprisoning the genuine article must be harder then locking up a fake" she gloated, though with a bit of a bitter bite towards the end. "What is important is that I finish what I started. First I'll discipline you a little, then I'll find Crona and-"

Upon mentioning her beloved Crona, Moka got her fire back. She lashed out, grabbing Inner by the throat, and slamming her into the wall. "You Stay the Hell Away From Him!" she screamed, her eyes closed as the droning became even louder in her ears…

"Wh-what? I don't know what you're talking about…" a frightened voice replied. Moka's eyes snapped open, her pupils shrinking to pin pricks as she saw before her, not Inner Moka, but some random freshman girl, her eyes wide and full of tears "Pl-please don't hurt me…" she began to cry, and Moka dropped her like her skin was acid.

"I… I…" she stuttered, not sure what to say. Eventually, she just turned and ran.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Crona sighed as he pulled his sword from the last of the prisoners. They hadn't been all that difficult to combat, but there had been so many of them, coming at him so quickly that he had been forced on the defensive for a good while. One or two had even managed to get some good shots in; leaving him sore and wanting to sit down for a little while.

Hearing movement behind him, Crona turned. But he saw not someone good naturedly bringing him him a chair to sit down on. No, he instead saw a massive fireball burning through the air. He had only a split second to conjure a shield before he was hit; though this did nothing to stop him from feeling the heat. The fire was so hot that his sweat evaporated and his skin began to chap and crack. Then with a bang like a cannon, the ball exploded, sending Crona flying backwards.

Hitting the ground hard, Crona pointed Ragnarok (now in broadsword form) at the direction the fire had come and shot his own sonic blast in response.

Kuyou dodged to the side and charged him, fire held in his fist. His speed was incredibly, nearly as quick as Gin had been, he was on Crona in a second. He brought the fist down, and Crona just managed to roll away, the burning fist making a crater in the ground. He slashed his sword, managing to nick Kuyou's side.

A blast of fire was his response, once again forcing Crona to roll away. Ragnarok formed a wing from his back and made to bat Kuyou away with it. But the burning man surprised both of them by grabbing the wing and, with nothing but pure strength, breaking it. Ragnarok quickly disconnected the wing from the rest of the body, and Crona returned the wing to liquid blood, then proceeded to wrap Kuyou with it, before pushing the blood away from him.

The bound official slammed into the wall, his body glowing like a star as Crona tried to solidify the blood. But no matter what he did, the blood just wouldn't become hard. That was when Crona had a terrifying realization. It was too hot. Kuyou was actually putting off enough heat to keep him from making the black blood a solid mass. And it was only getting hotter, even now Crona thought he saw the black goo start to bubble. Kuyou was doing what many would call impossible, and boiling the black blood!

Fine, if blood wouldn't work, he had other skills to fall back on. And while this may mean he couldn't form the blood into a solid construct, he could still control it as a liquid mass. Besides, while Kuyou was bound…

"Screech Alpha!" Ragnarok unleashed a blast of sonic energy right at the struggling Kuyou. With no way to dodge, the blast was as direct hit. The blast, plus the damage Kuyou's fire had already done to the walls caused them to collapse, producing a thick layer of dust as decades of architecture collapsed into rubble.

Crona blinked dust from his eyes and coughed. He doubted that was the end of it, but he-

A noise behind him made him turn just in time to receive a fist, glowing white hot, impacted his face.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

She'd run and run, but she didn't think she could run anymore. She ran into a nearby bathroom, and pressed her back against the door to keep it closed.

Sadly, she hadn't run into any large groups of people like she had hoped. It was like everyone knew to stay inside while she was on the run for her life. Still…even if she had seen a lone student out an about, she didn't know if she would have been able to trust them, given that this guy could apparently make himself look like someone else. If he could look like Lord Crona, why couldn't he make himself look like another student, or a teacher? Hell, she couldn't even go looking for one of her other friends, because HE might be THEM!

Her thoughts were broken when a fist punched through the wood of the door, groping about for her head. It grabbed her hat, but she managed to leap away before the hand retreated through the hole. The hand reached through again, and Yukari used her wand to summon two razor sharp tarot cards. They flew through the air and managed to slice the bugger's arm clean off.

The arm dropped to the floor, but instead of blood, it just turned into a semi-blue jelly like substance. Weird. Even stranger, there was no hiss of pain which one would expect from the sudden loss of a limb. Instead, the door just opened calmly, revealing Not-Crona sans an arm.

"That… was entirely uncalled for." he said simply, stepping on the hand. The jelly like substance seemed to crawl up his leg and disappear under his shirt. A moment later, Not-Crona grew a new arm which quickly changed color to match his skin tone; and before Yukari knew it, it was like he'd never lost it at all. "Still, no harm done I suppose." he said with a shrug, before advancing on her.

She panicked. A trio of cards went at him, but his body lost all color and passed through his now slime body. A wash basin dropped from the air onto his head, but his body twisted and melded around it without him even slowing down. The bright little witch ran through all the spells she knew, but realized she probably wouldn't have the time for any of them.

That moment of hesitation was all Not-Crona needed, as with a quick as lightning motion he snatched the wand away from her and threw it into one of the stalls. With his newly regrown hand, he slammed his fist into her chest, sending her flying backwards into the wall.

Lights danced in front of her eyes. She was winded and she worried that one of her ribs might have cracked. Her wand was gone, and frankly this guy seemed totally invulnerable to harm. Not-Crona seemed to think she was totally beaten, because he was now stalking towards her like a predator ready to deal the final blow to his wounded prey. His hand began to shift and change, turning into a wicked looking blade, one that would no doubt end her sadly short life.

"Pl-please…" she managed to squeak, her back pressed against the wall. "Just…just change your face. I don't want to die… looking into his eyes." she whispered. While it was true that IF she was going to die, she'd prefer it not be by someone looking exactly like her beloved Lord, she was also hoping to stall as long as she could, trying to either come up with a plan, build up enough power for some kind of attack, or have someone come save her.

Not Crona tilted his head slightly in thought. "Well… normally my targets don't usually last this long, so it's usually not a problem. You're one of the first in a long time that's managed to figure out what I was. I guess it must be kinda weird for you huh?" he scratched his chin with the hand that was not a vicious looking sword. "Ah what the hell, Kuyou never said I HAD to look like someone else when I ended you, so I guess it's alright…" he trailed off, not noticing Yukari's eyes going wide.

Kuyou? The head of the Safety Commission? Oh god the situation was a lot worse then she thought! If that… Yukari thought a word that if spoken would get her mouth washed with soap for a year… had sent a hitman out to kill her, it stood to reason that he would probably do the same to the others! Fear for her friends drove Yukari to dive deep into her very soul, searching for the power she needed to win…

Not Crona's body changed, along with his face. While his hands stayed blade like, his clothes morphed into the black suit of the SC. His hair turned brown, and his eyes vibrant green. Overall, he really didn't look like anything special, just another face in the crowd really. Yukari supposed that was sort of the point for a monster with his talent and line of work.

Not Crona began to slowly walk towards her, both of them knowing she had nowhere to go, and nowhere left to hide. He raised his blade, planning to end her life in one quick strike. No need to draw things out anymore. He may have been an assassin, but he was also a professional. While he may use the faces of those closest to them to get near his targets, he bore those unfortunate souls no ill will, and was not looking to prolong the inevitable.

"Sorry kid" he said "It's just business…"

She didn't hear him. She was to focused on her goal. Down she dove, mentally assessing her magical core, and finding it woefully to small for the job needed. She needed more power! If she had more energy she could maybe do something about this prick, but as it was…

Wait… there!

There, deep near the very core of her being, she saw it! A small ball of purple light. As she got closer to it, Yukari became distinctly aware of herself, which was a peculiar feeling. All her thoughts and memories became clearer, her body felt better… she just felt more in tune with it and who she was as a person. This was just what Yukari was looking for. If this thing couldn't help her win, nothing would.

And so, with childlike glee, she mentally reached out, and began to draw on the power of her very soul.

With a flash of light and a boom like rolling thunder, her eyes snapped open. They were pure white, and shined like a lighthouse in the darkness. Not Crona grunted in pain, trying to shield his eyes. A deep rumbling shook the whole room, and Not Crona knew that something was about to happen. He didn't know what, just that his target was probably the cause; so maybe if he killed her, it would stop whatever final trick she was trying to pull.

He stepped forward, his blade raised, when her hand shot out. He was proud to say he kept himself from flinching. That didn't stop the sinks next to him from exploding, their watery contents slamming into him with far more force then should be possible for school sinks.

They knocked him into one of the stalls, but before he could stand to regain his bearings, the water seemed to wrap around his legs and pull them out from under him. The water gripped him like an angry fist and held him a few feet off the ground. He tried morphing his features, but the pressure was to intense. And that was when the lights began to flicker.

Yukari's other hand shot out, the chaotic energy she was running on barely controlled into following her will. She made a yanking motion and the lights exploded, revealing their inner workings while spraying the floor with glass shrapnel. Neither were much affected, Yukari because the energy formed a sort of shield around her, and the debris just bounced off. Not Crona because he was by now trapped in a bubble of water and could not be touched by such things.

Yukari saw bubbles burst from Not Crona's mouth. Maybe he had worked out her plan. Maybe he was making a plea for mercy. Maybe he was cursing her. Right now though, Yukari didn't have the strength to care. It was all or nothing at this point, and if this didn't work, her friends would soon be mourning her passing.

With what little willpower she had left, she grabbed the sparking wires that ran in the ceiling with her magic. And then she forced them into the bubble prison floating below them.

Their was another flash and a hiss of energy as massive amounts of electricity were forced through the conductive water…and the unfortunate prisoner contained within.

Not Crona spasmed as the volts passed through him. His limbs twisted and jerked like a puppet made of taffy, this features distorting as he lost all control over his ability due to the immense pain. Soon it became so severe that bits of him actually began to flake off and evaporate.

With a final scream, muffled though it was by the water, the ball burst, much of the water turning to steam while the rest was sprayed about the room. A somewhat muffled meaty thump was heard impacting the floor.

Yukari sank to her knees, panting in exhaustion. She had no idea how she had done that! By all accounts, she should be dead! It was an incredibly feeling though, being able to command things around her with just her thoughts. And that power source… had she weaponized her soul?

Still, no time for pondering. She had to-

Yukari stood, and nearly passed out as dark spots danced in front of her eyes. She was so exhausted from that little display that she could barely walk. But she couldn't stay. She had to check on the others. If a killer was coming after HER of all people, that meant the others were probably in some kind of danger as well.

Hobbling forward, she glanced down at what was left of Not Crona. It didn't look like a normal dead body, for that she was grateful. It looked like a lump of blackened burned pudding, and smelled like burnt plastic. She gave it a swift kick, and watched part of it crumble like a sandcastle.

She wasn't sure she had meant to kill him. She had wanted to hurt him, certainly, but kill him… she couldn't be sure. With his abilities, she was almost hesitant to say he even WAS dead. Still, he hadn't planned to show her any mercy, so she couldn't pity him to much. He had come to kill her, and hadn't been able to handle her. Yukari couldn't fight back a smile at that. For the first time, she had been able to hold her own against a much older opponent.

"I can't say I'm sorry… whoever you were." she muttered under her breath as she made her way out of the room. "It's nothing personal. It's just business." her words echoed his own as she closed the door behind her, leaving nothing but a destroyed bathroom and what was left of a burnt up shapeshifter.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

Kurumu grunted in pain as her back was slammed into a tree. Why was it that all her fights for her life and virtue seemed to take place in the woods?

She tried to break away, but with her hands held tight, and the bastard's eyes never breaking contact with hers, it was practically impossible. Thankfully her legs weren't bound, and she managed to land a kick on his rbis that forced him to release her.

The man before her was an Incubus, basically a male succubus. And now he was trying to make her into his slave.

Kurumu wasn't afraid, which was odd given the situation but she chalked that up to her other half taking care of her fear. Still, she could feel her body becoming more sluggish as his eyes bored into her. Her arms felt heavy and just wanted to hang at her side. Down south, things were getting hot and uncomfortable for her. She knew it was all his influence.

'Any suggestions?' she asked her inner voice, using her claws to block his as the two of them slashed back and forth. He managed to leave a gash on her side while she left a scratch by his cheek. Her reactions were shot and she wasn't doing nearly as much damage to him as he was to her; and she could really use some help.

_"Well, I could take over your lust, just like I did with your fear, allowing you to fight without his influence over you. He'd never suspect it, and you'd have the upper hand. If you moved quickly, you could end this in a snap."_ the voice recommended.

Kurumu hid the smirk so as not to betray her plan 'Great, do it!' she thought, waiting for the heat in her loins to leave her. Only Crona was allowed to make her feel that way dammit!

_"No."_ the inner voice said simply.

The finality of that statement was so great that Kurumu was stunned, and unable to block a punch to the face that broke her nose and sent her flying through not one, but TWO trees!

'What the fuck do you mean 'no'?' she demanded, trying to shakily stand up.

_"What's the point? Even if you win, the souls inside you will continue to tear you up inside because you will not dominate them. They will destroy you. So why try?" _

Kurumu was about to reply when Sado slammed into her, pinning her to the already heavily damaged tree. While the inner her may have been keeping the majority of fear at bay, the reality of the situation was beginning to make her feel a twinge of panic.

_"The only way I would consider helping" _the voice continued _"Would be if you gave me control of your lust AND, allowed yourself to absorb the power of those souls. Those girls are dead. In life they were not strong enough to keep themselves free. Now you are about to make the same mistake. Do not be so foolish. Absorb them and their power, so that you will not have to share their fate."_ the voices words drowned out whatever Sado was saying, as the Incubus lowered himself onto Kurumu, one hand holding both wrists to keep her from fighting, the other roaming over her. _"Or perhaps you'd rather stay as you are? Become a lust-slave to this demon, and forget all about Crona and your friends. It's not like you really cared for them, right? Otherwise you wouldn't allow yourself to go out like this."_ Kurumu couldn't tell if the voice was mocking her or not. But less then a moment later, she could feel the voice retreating into the back of her mind. The moment for victory would soon pass if she sat ideally by.

'Alright!' she practically shouted in her mind. 'Please help!'

_"Are you sure? I don't want you to think I'm turning you into a monster…" _

'For God's sake save me!'

_"As you wish…" _

And with that thought, Kurumu felt Sado's influence drain away. Where once she found his charm irresistible, she now saw only her attacker. The heat that he had built up in her was replaced by cold indifference tinged with hatred and a desire for vengeance.

Sado was saying something, but she chose not to acknowledge any of his words, for they were unimportant. Her tail lashed out, wrapping around his throat, his eyes bulging from surprise. Before he could react, she jerked him forward, slamming his head into the tree behind her. Her hands free, she drover her fingers into his chest, her nails spraining forth, piercing his worthless heart. He gasped, his lungs punctured in several places. The blood ran down her nails, stained her skin and dropped down onto her face. She felt nothing. Just like the voice had promised.

With a push, she got out from under the dead teen, and watched impassively as his body dissolved into dust, leaving only his tainted soul behind.

This time there was no hesitation. Sado had been scum who prayed on women, much like that bastard slug who tried to blackmail her (come to think of it, she may have to pay him a visit later) before him. He had planned to make her suffer, it was only fair she return the favor. Grabbing his soul, she downed it with ease. She felt her body tear it apart, and absorb it into her own spirit, growing stronger overall. The souls of the girls were next, their lives passing in such a dizzying blur that she saw next to nothing of their lives. Soon they were gone to, their energy now one with her own.

And just like that, things were back to normal. Her body slumped as adrenaline and the voice's powers wore off. She was tired, a little shocked and scared… yet she did not feel the guilt she had felt when she had killed the girls, and she felt no lasting affects of Sado's Charm. Good.

If she could, she would go back to her room and sleep for a decade. Yet she knew she couldn't. There was no way that a Safety Commission assassin would target only her. If the others weren't already in danger, it was possible they would be soon. She had to help them. Spreading her wings, she leapt into the air, ready to do what needed to be done to save those close to her.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

There was no escape. No hope.

Moka ran as fast as her legs could carry her, but everywhere she turned, her Inner self was there, that smug grin on her face. And what was worse, Moka couldn't do anything to them, because she might accidentally hurt someone!

**"**Oh, so now you care about hurting people? You certainly didn't seem to mind imprisoning me in MY body!" one of the Inners called out.

Moka picked up the pace, her body drawn by an unseen force as she tried to escape her own mind.

"Of course, turns out you were to weak to even do that properly. I've nearly shrugged off the bindings you've put on me, and soon I will be free!" All at once Inner Moka was right in her face, to the left and right of her, and right behind her eyes. The next moment she was gone. But her voice stayed behind to continue its torment…

"And you know exactly what I'll do once I'm free don't you?" Inner chuckled darkly. "Me and your little friends are going to have… so… much… FUN!"

Moka whimpered, hands wringing as she tried to think of what to do. But she couldn't form a coherent thought, the ringing in her ears was to loud. She had to focus!

Inner would break free and kill her friends! She had to stop her! But how? Nothing could hold her back! She thought she'd imprisoned her for good, but now she was coming back even angrier!

Moka stumbled as she reached a set of stairs. What was she doing here? It didn't matter. She kept walking.

"I think I'll start with that succubus whore. Maybe tear off her wings and strangle her with her own tail" Moka could feel Inner's breath right on her ear, but when she swung at the darkness, she felt nothing.

"Then the little half-blood. A witch is barely better then a human, don't you think? Better I just crush her throat!" Moka nearly slumped against the wall, but felt she had to keep moving.

"And last but not least…" Moka could feel Inner's sadistic pleasure "The black blooded mongrel that started all of this.

"No…" Moka whispered as she opened the door, and realized that she had made her way up to the roof of the school.

"Yes…I will tear out his beating heart, and burn him upon an alter of fire! I will cleanse us both of his taint!" Inner roared, and Moka could feel the malice as surely as she felt the ringing in her ears.

She saw it all: Her friends twisted and beaten bodies, the subject of Inner's cruelty. She knew for a fact that Inner would make good on all her threats. Moka had to stop her, but she didn't know how. Nothing would hold her back for long. The only thing that seemed like a permanent solution was… Moka's eyes widened as she stared at the ledge of the roof.

Could she…? No! But still… If she threw herself from the roof, she would surely die, right? And if she ended her own life, she could drag her Inner's soul with her to whatever place awaited on the other side! It was a terrible decision, and Moka wept at the thought of having to leave all her friends behind, likely to wonder why she did it… But she was doing it FOR them, to keep them safe!

She stepped on the ledge, Inner Moka glaring at her from the right. She didn't think she'd really do it. That she wasn't brave enough to sacrifice everything she had to protect all that she loved. Moka closed her eyes, accepting what she was about to do. She could just make out her hammering heartbeat over the ringing. It was beating like a jack hammer. Ba-bump, ba-bump, ba-bump…

But then Moka frowned. There, beneath her rabbit like heart rate… was another? A beating heart that was hardly moving faster then normal. She looked at Inner, but she couldn't hear any heartbeats from her; which made sense given that she wasn't real. Turning her head to the left, she saw only empty space. But that was surely where the noise was coming from.

The ringing got louder and Inner Moka spoke "Chickening out? I knew you wouldn't have the guts. A little thief like you would never have the guts to-" but Moka wasn't listening any more. The thumping of the other heart was moving away from her, as though the owner was taking a step back. The ringing was almost unbearable at this point, but Moka felt something in her rebel against it and all that had been put before her.

She lunged at the invisible source.

Were she in a better mood or a sounder state of mind, Moka might have enjoyed the look of shock on the girl's face as her hand wrapped around her dainty throat.

She was dressed like Keito and those other bullies from the Safety Commission. So they were behind this. In her hands was a flute, and Moka could see the faintest aura of magic coming off of it. Moka used one hand to yank it from the girl, and crush it into powder with pure strength. The moment it was broken, the ringing faded, and Inner Moka fizzled out like so much static.

"H-how?" she choked out "You shouldn't have been able to break my illusion! It's imposs-" she wasn't able to finish as Moka's grip tightened to vice like proportions.

This girl… this girl had played with her head. Messed with her mind and toyed with her fears. She had nearly been driven insane by this little bitch. She wanted to ask why, why she would do such a terrible thing. She wanted to scream and shout and cuss and beat the ever loving shit out of this girl.

But she couldn't. She couldn't think straight to do any of those things. Because from the moment she'd grabbed her, Moka noticed how her once calm heart rate was now pounding so fast Moka could almost dance to it.

Thump-thump. Thump-thump.

Subconsciously, Moka moved the girl's head slightly, exposing the neck vain. The heart was beating so fast, like it was trying to escape from the girl's chest.

The girl was saying something, begging most likely, but Moka couldn't bring herself to hear the words. They didn't matter anyway. All she knew, all she felt at this moment, was something deep and primal. Something that promised one simple action could make her feel a hundred times better, and make this whole dreary experience worth it.

"Please don't kill me! I'll tell you anything! Do anything! I'll even testify against the Committee to the faculty if you want! I'll be your slave! I'll be your anything! Just please don't-"

The girl's cries were silenced as Moka's mouth widened, almost like she was going to scream, her eyes flashing red and her fangs sharpening like daggers. Then she jerked the girl in closer, and the nameless enforcer knew no more.

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-_

After about twenty minutes of searching Kurumu and Yukari were able to meet up with each other, each struggling to tell the other what had happened to them, with both deciding they would save it until after they found Moka.

They found the pink haired vampire shakily descending the stairs that lead to the roof, looking pretty shaken up. The look in her eyes told them that she too had been attacked. After making sure their friend was alright, they made to find the one person they needed most: Crona.

As though in answer to their thoughts, an explosion rocked the campus, and drew the girls to it like a flame. Soon they found themselves standing before the Safety Offices. Well… at least what USED to be the Safety Offices. Now it was a smoking burnt out hole in the ground, with only the barest hints of structure standing to denote it had ever been anything resembling the once imposing offices.

As the girls ran towards it, they past several other students. Some were wearing prison uniforms, while others were dressed like Safety Officers. Either way, both were running as fast as they could from the center of the carnage. Some weren't even that lucky, and more then once the girls passed bodies strewn about the grounds. Dead or unconscious, they could not tell.

But none of that mattered as the girls reached the lip of the crater, and were able to peer down on the seen below. What they saw made them gasp, their eyes so wide they may have well popped out of their heads!

For their, at the epicenter of the destruction, stood Kuyou, his body wreathed in fire, holding a battered and bruised Crona by the throat, a look of triumph on his face….

**End Chapter 9**

_-Dealing With Youkai Academy-  
><em>Oh my goodness what's happened to Crona! Will our lovely ladies be able to save him in time? Will Gin's investigation ever get any traction? Will I ever be able to update in a speedy fashion? The answers to all these questions and more await in the next chapter.

While this chapter may seem like filler at first, it's really not. This chapter replaces the manga chapter wherein Tskune is arrested and everyone but Moka doubts him. That was unnecessary for Crona, as he is both clearly a monster, and all the girls love him and would never doubt him. Gin would, but he didn't like Crona to begin with. Instead of that, we got Crona lured into the SC headquarters, while the girls faced off against some SC assassins. This is important because:

-We find out what happened between Kurumu and the girls.  
>-Yukari finally got to show off, and took her first steps towards discovering her true power as a witch<p>

-Moka got her mind jacked with again. Poor girl, I sure do seem to pick on her. I hope that what happened here doesn't have any long lasting side effects (whistles innocently)

-Gin and his investigation. Seems like someone is always one step ahead of Gin. But you know that hound dog won't give up.

Alright, if you enjoyed this story, feel free to say so in a review. If you didn't I'm sorry (but please no flames), maybe next time. And if you liked this story, feel free to check out one of my other many amazing stories.

Oh, and just to be sure you all come back next time...

_Next Time: The war with the SC comes to a head. It's Crona and the girls against the god-like power of Kuyou. Is their any hope? _

**_AND_**

_"42 42 564... whenever you want to knock on Death's Door..." _

_"I AM THE ETERNAL GOD OF JUSTICE! ALL WILL OBEY ME OR DESPAIR!" _

_It bounced once, twice, then settled on the ground, a heavy silence filling the air as all eyes landed on the trinket... _

_"Very well.. if their is no other way..." _

_Moka was choking, her very being being crushed as something from deep inside her came rushing to the surface_

_"Reaper-Class Seal Restriction Level 1... Release!" _

_"Moka... is that you?" Crona asked taking a step towards the hunched figure_

_"Oh Crona" the figure raised it's head, tossing silver hair over her shoulder "I've been waiting for this for a long, long time..."_

**_Next Time On Dealing With Youkai:_****Chapter 10: The Chapter Absolutely Everyone Has Been Waiting For Since the Beginning**

**Until Next Time... **


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